Elon Musk Calls OpenAI CEO Sam Altman a “Thief,” Reigniting Billionaire Feud

Elon Musk reignited his long-simmering feud with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Sunday, unleashing a scathing accusation that has sent shockwaves through Silicon Valley. The Tesla and SpaceX billionaire took to X (formerly Twitter) to brand Altman a "thief" who "stole a nonprofit," directly referencing OpenAI's controversial transition from its original nonprofit roots to a for-profit entity now valued at over $150 billion. Musk's explosive post, which quickly amassed millions of views, included a screenshot of Altman's earlier statement defending the shift as necessary for scaling AI development.

The origins of this latest salvo trace back to 2015 when Musk co-founded OpenAI alongside Altman and others with a mission to advance artificial general intelligence safely and openly. However, Musk departed the board in 2018 amid disagreements over direction, later suing the organization in March 2024, claiming it had abandoned its nonprofit charter by prioritizing profits through massive investments from Microsoft and others. OpenAI countered that Musk's lawsuit was a ploy to hinder a competitor to his own xAI venture, and a judge dismissed key claims in August 2025, though some aspects remain under appeal.

Altman's response was swift and equally barbed. The OpenAI chief fired back on X, mocking Musk's criticism by highlighting the irony of the world's richest man decrying profit motives while building trillion-dollar empires. "Elon mad because we beat him at his own game," Altman quipped, attaching a meme of Musk looking defeated. He further defended OpenAI's structure, arguing that the capped-profit model ensures alignment with humanity's best interests while attracting the capital needed to outpace rivals in the AI arms race.

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Industry watchers see this exchange as more than petty banter—it's a proxy war for control of AI's future. Musk has positioned xAI as the "truth-seeking" alternative, pouring billions into Grok and other projects while warning of existential risks from unchecked AI profiteering. Altman, meanwhile, has transformed OpenAI into a juggernaut behind ChatGPT, securing partnerships with tech giants and governments alike. Critics on both sides accuse the other of hypocrisy: Musk for founding a profit-driven competitor after leaving OpenAI, and Altman for steering a once-idealistic nonprofit toward Wall Street valuations.

The feud has broader implications for AI governance. Regulators worldwide are scrutinizing Big Tech's AI dominance, with the EU's AI Act and U.S. executive orders emphasizing ethical development. Musk's "theft" narrative resonates with open-source advocates who lament OpenAI's pivot away from transparency, while Altman's defenders point to tangible breakthroughs like GPT models that have democratized AI tools for millions.

As the barbs fly, investors remain unfazed—OpenAI's latest funding round reportedly values it at $300 billion, and xAI isn't far behind. Yet for everyday users caught in the crossfire, the real question is whether this billionaire beef will accelerate innovation or fracture the fragile unity needed to steer superintelligent AI responsibly. One thing's certain: in the arena of tech titans, peace is just a ceasefire between battles.

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