Altman vs. Musk: The Escalating Tech War Across AI, Social Media, and EVs
Altman vs. Musk: The Escalating Tech War Across AI, Social Media, and EVs
The intense rivalry between Silicon Valley titans Sam Altman and Elon Musk has escalated, with OpenAI CEO Altman directly challenging Musk’s sprawling business empire across multiple fronts, from artificial intelligence and social media to electric vehicles and brain-computer interfaces.
The feud, which has seen personal attacks, social media jabs, and ongoing legal battles, recently intensified after Musk announced plans to sue Apple over its alleged promotion of OpenAI. Altman retaliated, accusing Musk of manipulating X for personal gain, leading to Musk labeling Altman a “liar.”
Beyond their foundational dispute over OpenAI’s for-profit pivot, Altman is now actively positioning ventures to compete with Musk’s key companies. This week, reports confirmed Altman’s co-founding of Merge Labs, a new brain-computer interface startup set to directly rival Musk’s Neuralink. OpenAI is also reportedly developing an “X-like social network,” posing a potential threat to Musk’s social media platform.
In the automotive sector, following a 13.5% plummet in Tesla sales in Q2 2025, OpenAI announced a significant partnership in June 2025 with self-driving software maker Applied Intuition. Altman has publicly hinted at superior AI-powered self-driving technology, subtly challenging Tesla’s current approach.
Altman’s investment portfolio further underscores his ambition, including backing Longshot Space, a startup aiming to compete with SpaceX, and Glydways, another robocar venture potentially challenging Tesla’s robotaxi ambitions. As their legal skirmishes continue—with a jury trial for their respective lawsuits slated for next year—the tech world watches intently, with some industry veterans suggesting this heightened competition will ultimately benefit the broader ecosystem.
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