Elon Musk is at it again. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has reignited his long-standing feud with OpenAI’s Sam Altman, taking a fresh jab by dubbing him ‘Scam Altman’ in yet another social media showdown.
Musk’s latest dig came in response to a resurfaced clip of Altman’s May 2023 testimony before the US Senate Judiciary Subcommittee. In the video, Altman insists he has no equity in OpenAI and that his work is purely driven by passion. “I’m paid enough for health insurance. I have no equity in OpenAI,” he stated earnestly, adding, “I’m doing this because I love it.”
Musk, ever the skeptic, wasn’t buying it. His sarcastic remark—delivered with his usual online flair—suggests he finds Altman’s altruism a little too good to be true.
The $97 billion plot twist
The Musk-Altman tech drama had already reached new heights recently when Musk, alongside a consortium of investors, attempted to buy OpenAI for a staggering $97 billion (about £78.4 billion). Altman, however, wasn’t having any of it.
Instead of a negotiation, Altman responded with a cheeky counteroffer: “No thank you, but we will buy Twitter for 9.74 billion dollars if you want.” A not-so-subtle jab at Musk’s controversial $44 billion acquisition of the platform now known as X.
OpenAI ‘not for sale’
Altman later doubled down on his stance at the AI Action Summit in Paris, telling Sky News, “OpenAI is not for sale. OpenAI’s mission is not for sale.” Speaking to Axios, he accused Musk of trying to “take control of OpenAI,” fanning the flames of their long-running rivalry.
The tension between the two tech titans dates back to Musk’s exit from OpenAI in 2018, citing concerns over its direction. Since then, he’s repeatedly slammed Altman’s leadership and OpenAI’s move towards a more commercial model.