Sam Altman fires back at Elon Musk: abuse of power claims escalate feud

The long-standing conflict between Elon Musk and Sam Altman intensifies as Altman publicly accuses Musk of abusing government influence to gain unfair advantage, deepening the rift over OpenAI's mission and leadership. This latest exchange highlights the high stakes behind OpenAI's evolution from its original non-profit roots to a capped-profit model.

Sources:
Times of IndiaThestreet
Updated 24h ago
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Sources: Times of IndiaThestreet
The ongoing feud between Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and Elon Musk has escalated with mutual accusations of power abuse and ethical breaches. Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015 as a non-profit focused on artificial general intelligence (AGI) for humanity, left in 2018 over strategic disagreements.

Under Altman's leadership, OpenAI shifted from a non-profit to a "capped-profit" model, a move Musk has publicly criticized, calling Altman "SCAM Altman" on social media platform X. This name-calling has reignited debates about OpenAI's mission and trustworthiness.

Recently, Altman accused Musk of abusing his governmental influence to gain unfair competitive advantages following recent elections. Musk, who also leads the AI company xAI, has been vocal about his concerns regarding OpenAI's direction and ethics.

"The core of Musk's criticism centers on what he perceives as a betrayal of OpenAI's founding principles," highlighting the tension between profit motives and the original altruistic goals.

This public clash underscores broader industry debates about AI development, governance, and the balance between innovation and ethical responsibility.

As the rivalry intensifies, both figures remain influential in shaping AI's future, with their conflict reflecting deeper questions about power, trust, and the role of technology in society.
Sources: Times of IndiaThestreet
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, fired back at Elon Musk amid escalating accusations of power abuse following recent elections. Musk, a former OpenAI co-founder, has criticized Altman’s leadership and the shift from non-profit to capped-profit, intensifying their public feud over AI’s future and ethics.
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The Headline

Altman and Musk escalate public feud

Key Facts
  • Elon Musk labeled Sam Altman 'SCAM Altman' on X, reigniting debates about OpenAI's mission and trustworthiness.Times of India
  • Musk's criticism centers on a perceived betrayal of OpenAI's founding principles, which underlies his 'SCAM Altman' moniker.Times of India
  • Sam Altman accused Elon Musk of abusing government power to unfairly compete following the recent election.Times of India
Recently, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has accused Elon Musk of abusing his power within the government to unfairly compete following the recent election.
Times of India
Times of India
Musk, who also runs an AI company, xAI, has frequently criticized OpenAI’s shift from a non-profit to a “capped-profit” model under Altman's leadership.
Thestreet
Thestreet
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Background Context

Origins and shifts in OpenAI leadership

Key Facts
  • Elon Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 as a non-profit dedicated to developing artificial general intelligence (AGI) for humanity's benefit and left in 2018 due to disagreements over its direction.Times of India
  • OpenAI shifted from a non-profit to a capped-profit model under Sam Altman's leadership, a move frequently criticized by Musk.Thestreet
  • In October 2023, Sam Altman praised Bitcoin, showing support for cryptocurrencies.Thestreet
Key Stats at a Glance
OpenAI founding year
2015
Times of India
Elon Musk departure year
2018
Times of India
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