Altman Brushes Off Musk’s OpenAI Takeover Fears
Tech titans clash as GPT-5 integration sparks rivalry
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has downplayed the concerns of longtime adversary Elon Musk, who predicted OpenAI would “eat Microsoft alive” following the tech giant’s deep integration of OpenAI’s latest AI model. The statements come as Microsoft announced sweeping AI deployments across its product suite.
Microsoft Embraces OpenAI’s GPT-5
On Thursday, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella revealed that OpenAI’s cutting-edge GPT-5 service will be rolled out across key Microsoft platforms. These include Microsoft 365 Copilot, the general Copilot assistant, GitHub Copilot, and Azure AI Foundry. This move signifies a deepening partnership between the two entities.
Excited to announce the next era of AI-powered innovation with Microsoft Copilot. GPT-5 will be integrated across our platforms including Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot, GitHub Copilot and Azure AI Foundry. This partnership will bring the most advanced AI capabilities to our users.
— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) June 6, 2024
Elon Musk swiftly responded to Nadella’s announcement, posting, OpenAI is going to eat Microsoft alive.
OpenAI is going to eat Microsoft alive
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 6, 2024
Nadella attempted to temper the escalating rhetoric, stating on X, People have been trying for 50 years and that’s the fun of it! Each day you learn something new, and innovate, partner, and compete.
He also expressed anticipation for Musk’s Grok 4 chatbot, currently in a limited preview on Azure.
Altman Dismisses Musk’s Warnings
Appearing on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Sam Altman addressed Musk’s comments with apparent indifference. When asked about Musk’s input, Altman remarked, You know, I don’t think about him that much.
He questioned the intent behind Musk’s statements, noting, I thought he was just, like, tweeting all day [on X] about how much OpenAI sucks, and our model is bad, and, you know, [we’re] not gonna be a good company and all that.
The ongoing public exchange between Altman and Musk highlights a deep-seated rivalry stemming from their co-founding of OpenAI in 2015. Initially established as a nonprofit AI research lab, OpenAI has pivoted towards a for-profit model, significantly bolstered by Microsoft’s substantial investment, to capitalize on the immense demand for its products like ChatGPT.
The friction between the two tech leaders has manifested in several public disputes. Musk previously initiated, then withdrew, a lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman, alleging breaches of their founding contract. Earlier this year, Musk also led a consortium that proposed a $97.4 billion acquisition of OpenAI’s controlling nonprofit entity. Altman publicly declined the offer, humorously suggesting he would buy Twitter for $9.74 billion instead. He also privately conveyed to CNBC that he viewed the takeover bid as an attempt to slow down a competitor.
As of May 2024, Microsoft’s investment in OpenAI stands at a reported $13 billion, underscoring the deep strategic alignment between the companies (Source: The Information, June 2024).
