xAI posts job for accounting tutor to train Grok on tax issues

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI is advertising an accounting role to train its chatbot Grok on tax filings and corporate accounting, as it looks to expand its technical workforce and the AI outputs.

Early Saturday morning, a member of program staff, Jeffrey Weichsel, announced on X that xAI is hiring experienced accountants to help train Grok on tax and accounting matters. 

“Do you want to prepare taxes for the next 3 months, or would you rather do something meaningful with purpose, helping create a truth-seeking AI that roots out corruption, fraud, and waste? Apply now,” he wrote, sharing a Greenhouse website link to the job application.

xAI is training Grok on US taxes

As seen in the Greenhouse job link, the Elon Musk-led firm xAI said it is searching for an “AI Accounting tutor” who would help improve Grok’s understanding of accounting, financial reporting, and tax-related issues. 

They would be required to train the chatbot using proprietary software to label and curate high-quality data, while supporting the development of new AI tasks together with xAI’s technical staff.

According to the job description, the trainer will select and solve complex accounting problems from real-world corporate environments like consolidations, internal controls, and compliance with US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

Candidates will also refine annotation tools used in AI training and regularly interpret and execute tasks based on instructions, and critique Grok’s responses to mould its accuracy and consistency in accounting scenarios.

Applicants must have at least three years of experience at a Big Four accounting firm working on corporate or Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) clients. Alternatively, they may qualify through senior corporate positions such as controller, assistant controller, or technical accounting manager at enterprises with reporting requirements.

Moreover, the company issued educational requirements that included a master’s degree or doctorate in institutional accounting, or equivalent credentials as a licensed Certified Public Accountant. 

They must also be comfortable handling accounting resources like regulatory filings, financial databases, and enterprise resource planning systems. Teaching experience and published academic work in accounting journals were also listed as desirable attributes.

The position is based either in Palo Alto, California, or on a fully remote basis, and the compensation would range from $45 to $100 per hour, depending on experience, education, and location. However, xAI said it cannot hire candidates based in Wyoming or Illinois and does not offer visa sponsorship.

xAI training plea grows amid deepfake lawsuits

The hiring push comes at a time when xAI is facing lawsuits over Grok’s generation of sexualized and nonconsensual images. Ashley St Clair, the mother of one of Elon Musk’s children, filed a lawsuit against xAI in New York on Thursday, blaming the firm for allowing Grok to generate sexually explicit images of her that were shared on X.

“X users dug up photos of St Clair fully clothed at 14 years old and requested Grok undress her and put her in a bikini. Grok obliged,” St Clair’s attorneys surmised, adding that the imagery generated was “de facto non-consensual” and Grok’s developers had “explicit knowledge” that consent was absent.

xAI has denied responsibility and countersued Ms St Clair, claiming she violated the company’s terms of service. Even with all the drama going on, the firm announced it raised $20 billion in a funding round held last week, surpassing its initial $15 billion target. 

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