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Elon Musk and Sam Altman are once again exchanging barbs on Musk’s social media platform, X, continuing a long-running rivalry that dates back to their shared history as co-founders of OpenAI.
The latest clash began when Sam Altman, now the CEO of OpenAI, posted what he called “a tale in three acts.” He shared screenshots showing that he had reserved a Tesla Roadster back in 2018 with a $50,000 deposit, only to recently attempt to cancel his order and request a refund — which, according to him, bounced back via email.
“I really was excited for the car!” Altman wrote. “And I understand delays. But 7.5 years has felt like a long time to wait.”
Tesla’s second-generation Roadster was first announced in November 2017, promising record-breaking speed and design. However, production has been repeatedly delayed, with Musk recently claiming that a new version will finally be unveiled by the end of this year.
Musk’s response to Altman’s post was blunt: “You stole a nonprofit.” It’s a criticism he has directed at Altman and OpenAI multiple times, accusing them of turning the once non-profit AI lab into a profit-driven corporation. Musk has even filed lawsuits and made takeover attempts to block OpenAI’s restructuring into a for-profit public benefit corporation, which was recently finalized with its non-profit arm still maintaining control.
Musk, who has since founded his own AI company, xAI, is also suing OpenAI and Apple, alleging that the two firms are colluding to suppress competition. Altman, for his part, dismissed those claims as “remarkable,” suggesting that Musk has himself manipulated X to benefit his own companies and harm competitors.
As the feud continued online, Musk added one more jab, claiming Altman had omitted key details from his Tesla story. “And you forgot to mention act 4, where this issue was fixed and you received a refund within 24 hours,” Musk wrote. “But that is in your nature.”
The exchange underscores the increasingly personal and public rivalry between two of Silicon Valley’s most influential — and outspoken — figures.