The long-standing feud between Elon Musk and Sam Altman entered a more aggressive phase this past weekend. The two billionaires traded heavy accusations of investor deception as their respective companies, SpaceXAI and OpenAI, prepare for a high-stakes battle for AI dominance in the public markets.
The Apple Catalyst and 'Scam Altman'
The spark that reignited the conflict was Apple’s lawsuit against OpenAI. Apple alleges that Altman’s startup stole trade secrets through two former Apple employees to build its hardware business. Musk seized the moment, reviving the nickname "Scam Altman" on social media and claiming the OpenAI CEO "might literally love scamming more than any human alive!"
Altman fired back, claiming Musk is the one selling investors on "short-term space datacenters." Musk countered by stating that orbital data centers would begin flying next year, while doubling down on claims that Altman "stole" a non-profit charity and Apple’s phone technology.
From Collaboration to Courtroom
The roots of the rivalry date back to 2015, when the pair co-founded OpenAI as a non-profit research lab. Following Musk’s failed 2018 takeover attempt and subsequent departure, OpenAI became a global powerhouse with the release of ChatGPT. Musk sued in 2024, seeking $150 billion in damages and alleging Altman betrayed the company's original mission. Although a jury tossed the suit in May due to the statute of limitations, Musk has vowed to appeal.
A Battle of Models and IPOs
The tension is peaking as financial stakes reach record highs. SpaceX went public in a record-setting IPO in June, after acquiring and rebranding xAI as SpaceXAI. In the same month, OpenAI filed confidentially for its own IPO. The two companies released their latest models, Grok 4.5 and GPT-5.6 Sol, just one day apart, confirming that their rivalry is now as much about market valuation as it is about personal grievances.
