Elon Musk and Sam Altman continue to trade barbs on Musk’s platform, X.
Both were among the original founders of OpenAI, where Altman now serves as CEO, but their relationship has since become contentious, with disputes playing out on social media, in legal documents, and through official company statements. The most recent spat started when Altman shared what he described as “a tale in three acts,” posting screenshots that showed he had reserved a Tesla Roadster back in 2018, later attempted to cancel the order and get back his $50,000 deposit, but his email bounced back.
“I was genuinely looking forward to the car!” Altman commented. “I get that delays happen. Still, waiting seven and a half years feels excessive.”
Tesla’s second-generation Roadster was originally revealed in November 2017, but its launch has been postponed multiple times. Musk, who leads Tesla, recently stated that a new iteration would be revealed before the year ends.
Musk replied to Altman’s post with, “You stole a nonprofit,” a charge he has previously leveled at Altman and OpenAI—not only on social media, but also through lawsuits and efforts to block OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit model (a change OpenAI has now completed, though its nonprofit entity still oversees the for-profit public benefit corporation).
Musk has also launched his own AI company, xAI, which is currently suing OpenAI and Apple, alleging the two are working together to suppress competition. (Altman called this claim “remarkable … considering the things I’ve heard about Elon allegedly using X to advance his own interests, undermine rivals, and target those he dislikes.”)
Alongside his ongoing criticism of Altman and OpenAI, Musk today implied that Altman’s screenshots didn’t reveal everything: “And you left out act 4, where the problem was resolved and you got your refund within a day. But that’s just like you.”
