The rivalry between Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and Elon Musk, head of SpaceX, has reignited once again. Altman suggests that the recent scrutiny from Musk indicates that his company is making significant strides. On X, he noted, "There are numerous indicators suggesting that the 5.6 sol is currently the top model in the world. However, the clearest sign is that Elon is fixated on me once more."
This renewed conflict seems prompted by Apple's recent lawsuit that accuses OpenAI, along with its hardware partner io and two former Apple employees, of misappropriating trade secrets. OpenAI's acquisition of io last year, a design firm established by renowned Apple designer Jony Ive, is part of their strategy to expand into consumer AI hardware.
In a concise response to the lawsuit, OpenAI stated that it has “no interest in other companies' trade secrets.”
Meanwhile, Musk has taken to social media to criticize Altman, dubbing him "Scam Altman," as he immersed himself in this latest drama over the weekend. In rebuttal, Altman directed accusations back at Musk, claiming, “Homeboy, you’re the one selling public market investors on short-term space datacenters.”
Musk responded with a bold assertion that SpaceX would commence operations related to these datacenters next year—a claim that many find ambitious given his history of missing deadlines. He added a humorous jab, suggesting Altman could drop by if his "parole officer" permitted it.
The two co-founded OpenAI in 2015, but their relationship deteriorated over issues of control, funding, and strategic vision, leading to ongoing disputes. In 2024, Musk initiated legal action against OpenAI, Altman, and OpenAI President Greg Brockman, alleging that he was misled regarding early charitable donations, with OpenAI transitioning to a for-profit model after starting as a nonprofit. A federal jury ruled against Musk in May, but he plans to appeal the decision.
In 2023, Musk launched his own AI venture, xAI, which is now integrated into SpaceX operations. On X, he recently charged Altman with stealing Apple’s phone technology in addition to purportedly having pilfered from an open-source AI charity. "After stealing an open source AI charity, you then stole all of Apple’s phone technology! Wow," Musk tweeted, questioning what Altman would do next—a challenge that Altman has yet to publicly address.
