Two tech billionaires engaged in a verbal spat on the social network X (formerly Twitter), exchanging mutual insults. The conflict escalated after Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI on July 10, accusing Altman's company of stealing trade secrets to develop its first consumer hardware.
Elon Musk, who was a co-founder of OpenAI but left the company in 2018 following an unsuccessful takeover attempt, decided to use the situation to intensify his criticism. He posted a message quoting the DogeDesigner account, calling Altman 'Scam Altman,' and adding his conclusion: 'He is taking fraud to a whole new level.'
Altman himself, who had long faced attacks from Musk, responded by mocking Musk's ambitions in orbital data centers. He wrote that Musk sells short-term space data centers to public market investors. Altman continued the argument by suggesting that Musk's increased hostility is the best proof that OpenAI's GPT-5.6 Sol model is the most advanced in the world.
Musk countered with a joking phrase about a 'parole monitor' and leveled multiple accusations: after stealing a non-profit organization with open source, he allegedly stole all of Apple's phone technology. This phrase relates to Musk's $130 billion (2.38 trillion) lawsuit against OpenAI, which was lost in May because the court ruled he waited too long to file the suit. Musk initially aimed to return OpenAI to its non-profit status, which existed before his departure due to disagreements over development pace.
The main reason for the confrontation was Apple's lawsuit, which claims that OpenAI poached over 400 Apple employees and used interviews to obtain hardware secrets. Apple alleges that former Vice President of Design Tang Tang encouraged staff to bring Apple components to meetings at OpenAI. In turn, Musk accused Altman of appropriating 'all of Apple's phone technology.'
Space data centers, which Altman mocked, do exist. SpaceX unveiled its first specialized satellite for AI computing, named AI1, capable of supporting a peak computational load of up to 150 kW using liquid radiators, shielding, and deployable solar panels. These satellites will be manufactured at SpaceX's Gigasat facility in Texas, and Musk stated they will begin flying next year. Thus, a battle has unfolded between the two billionaires, involving accusations of stealing charitable funds, phone technology, and investor fraud regarding orbital data centers, while both sides actively promote their competing AI models.
