Elon Musk accuses Microsoft of illegally using Twitter data, threatens lawsuit

Elon Musk, the CEO of several prominent technology companies including SpaceX and Tesla, has taken aim at Microsoft over claims that the tech giant illegally used Twitter data to train some of its artificial intelligence (AI) programs. In a tweet on Wednesday night, Musk said "They trained illegally using Twitter data. Lawsuit time," alluding to his intentions to bring legal action against the company.

Microsoft recently announced in a notice that it would be dropping Twitter from its Smart Campaigns advertising platform, which allows advertisers to manage their social media campaigns across various platforms. The move came amid reports of rising costs associated with accessing Twitter's API, with large companies like Microsoft reportedly facing fees as high as $42,000 per month.

While OpenAI, the research organization behind many of Microsoft's AI products, is technically distinct from Microsoft itself, the latter company recently invested billions in OpenAI's development. This close relationship appears to have irked Musk, who was one of the co-founders of OpenAI before leaving the organization. He has since pledged to develop a competitor to the startup.

Some analysts believe that Musk's criticisms of Microsoft may have more to do with his personal views on how AI should be developed than any specific concerns about illegal activity. For example, he has been an outspoken critic of efforts to develop advanced AI systems that could potentially pose a threat to society.

Nevertheless, his latest comments appear to have put Microsoft on edge, with the company declining to comment officially on Musk's claims at this time. Regardless of whether or not any legal action is pursued, it seems clear that tensions between Musk and Microsoft are simmering for now.