OpenAI CEO Sam Altman calls Elon Musk a 'bully,' discusses 'complicated' relationship.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, referred to Elon Musk as a 'bully' in a recent interview, describing their relationship as complicated. The two have had a strained relationship since Musk's departure from OpenAI in 2018.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, described his relationship with Elon Musk as “complicated” in a recent interview with The Free Press. He referred to Musk as a “bully” and dismissed Musk’s ongoing criticisms of OpenAI as a “sideshow.” The two, who co-founded OpenAI, have had a strained relationship since Musk’s departure from the company in 2018.
Musk, now leading his AI venture xAI, has been a vocal critic of OpenAI. He has filed lawsuits against the organisation, claiming he was “deceived” during its founding and opposed OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit model. However, emails shared by OpenAI suggest Musk had previously supported such a structure.
Despite the tensions, Altman acknowledged Musk’s role in OpenAI’s early days, calling him a “legendary entrepreneur.”
Altman believes Musk’s hostility is linked to OpenAI’s success and his lack of control over it. According to Altman, Musk left OpenAI because he doubted its potential and couldn’t secure complete authority over the company. Altman remarked, “Everything we’re doing, I believe Elon would be happy about if he were in control of OpenAI.”
Musk’s recent AI endeavours include xAI’s chatbot, Grok, which positions the company as a competitor to OpenAI.
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Altman also commented on Musk’s penchant for public feuds with other prominent figures, including Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates. While addressing concerns about Musk’s potential influence under a second Trump administration, Altman expressed confidence that Musk would not misuse political power against competitors, saying, “I think there are people who will really be a jerk on Twitter who will still not abuse the system of the country.”
This ongoing rivalry underscores the tension between two of the most influential figures in the AI industry, with personal and professional disagreements playing out publicly.
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