Elon Musk has announced the launch of xAI, a new project aimed at creating an alternative to the immensely popular ChatGPT AI chatbot. 

Musk, who claims a desire to understand the true essence of the universe, revealed his new venture this week

He says he will personally lead the xAI team, which comprises executives and experts hailing from prestigious organisations such as Google's DeepMind, Microsoft, Tesla, and the University of Toronto. 

Notably, Musk was involved in the inception of OpenAI, the prominent AI startup responsible for developing ChatGPT. 

However, he has been openly critical of the company since his departure from its board in 2018, particularly after it established a for-profit division, which he believes is under Microsoft's sway. The tech giant has invested a staggering $19 billion into OpenAI.

Despite his involvement in the field of AI, Musk has expressed reservations about the technology's potential risks. 

In March, he joined a group of researchers and industry leaders, calling for a pause in the training of powerful AI models. Musk says he is committed to ensuring AI's safe development and deployment.

The xAI website currently showcases a team of twelve experts, including Musk himself. Notable members include Jimmy Ba, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto mentored by AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton, and Christian Szegedy, a former Google research scientist specialising in AI.

Interestingly, while Musk has often criticised San Francisco, the birthplace of numerous technological innovations, xAI's website states that the company is actively seeking experienced engineers and researchers to work in the Bay Area. Historically, Silicon Valley has been the focal point for AI advancements.

To ensure safety and ethical considerations are met, xAI has enlisted the guidance of Dan Hendrycks, director of the Centre for AI Safety. 

This group, supported by prominent AI companies such as DeepMind and OpenAI, has been vocal about the existential threats posed by rapidly developing AI technologies.

Although xAI is a separate entity from X Corp, the parent company that merged with Twitter earlier this year, it plans to collaborate closely with X (Twitter), Tesla, and other organisations under Musk's expansive umbrella.