The latest clash between the tech titans comes after OpenAI’s shift to a for-profit structure and Altman’s jab over Tesla refund delays.
- Elon Musk and Sam Altman continued to trade barbs online over the weekend after the OpenAI chief said he canceled his Tesla Roadster preorder.
- Musk said Altman abandoned OpenAI’s foundational mission to serve humanity; Altman hits back, saying that the Tesla chief left OpenAI “for dead.”
- “Can’t we just move on now?” Altman said.
The Elon Musk–Sam Altman flamewar continued over the weekend, as the two tech titans traded accusations of unethical conduct following the OpenAI CEO’s post last week about canceling his Tesla Roadster preorder after years of delay and seeking a refund.
Musk Miffed With OpenAI’s For-Profit Pivot
“You stole a non-profit,” Musk posted on X on Saturday, a reference to OpenAI recently converting to a for-profit structure despite resistance from several groups, including Musk, that say the AI company is abandoning its mission.
In response to Altman’s Tesla Roadster post, which included a screenshot showing that Tesla’s reservation email was not working, Musk hit back, claiming that the OpenAI CEO had purposefully left out the part that Tesla refunded him within 24 hours. “But that is in your nature,” he added.
In a discussion with podcaster Joe Rogan published on Friday, Musk said Tesla aims to unveil its next-generation Roadster “hopefully before the end of the year.” Musk has been promoting the model since 2017; the first Roadster sports car was launched in 2008 and discontinued in 2012.
Musk had sued OpenAI last year over its plan to convert to a public benefit corporation, claiming that the company had walked away from its foundational agreement and was prioritizing profit over the benefit of humanity.
Musk was a co-founder of OpenAI when it started as a research lab in 2015, and left the company’s board in 2018. In the years since, he has been a vocal critic of OpenAI, flagging gaps in the company’s not-for-profit mission and concerns over its approach to AI safety.
Musk’s Intentions Distorted, Altman Says
“I helped turn the thing you left for dead into what should be the largest non-profit ever,” Altman said on X on Sunday, in a rebuttal to Musk’s jab. “You know as well as anyone a structure like what openai has now is required to make that happen.”
Altman also pointed out that at one point, Musk wanted Tesla to buy out OpenAI with the intention of making a profit. “You also wanted tesla to take openai over, no nonprofit at all.”
“Now you have a great AI company and so do we. Can’t we all just move on?” Altman said, referring to progress made by Musk’s xAI, which was formed amid their public fallout.
Last week, OpenAI announced that it had transitioned to a for-profit company. Under the new structure, the non-profit OpenAI Foundation will have legal control over a public benefit corporation called OpenAI Group, which is free to raise funding. The OpenAI Foundation will own a 26% stake in the for-profit entity, Microsoft will own 27%, and the remaining will be held by investors and employees.
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