Archive · 6 Oct 2026
Altman Calls Musk a Bully but Remains Open to Cooperation
Sam Altman leads OpenAI, and Elon Musk runs other technology and AI interests.
The two have argued for years about OpenAI and its purpose.
Their disagreement has led to lawsuits and public insults.
Altman called Musk a bully in an interview.
He also said that standing up to Musk can help them work together.
Altman says he would still work with Musk if needed.
AI companies are also being asked to cooperate on safety.
Some companies signed voluntary commitments, but Altman says they do not all talk in one shared group chat.
Whether Altman and Musk will actually cooperate is still uncertain.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said his dispute with Elon Musk would not prevent him from working with him.
Altman described Musk as a bully and said Musk respects people who stand up to him.
Their conflict grew from disagreements over OpenAI’s original nonprofit mission and developed into public exchanges and lawsuits.
A nine-person jury unanimously found that Musk filed the lawsuit too late because the statute of limitations had expired.
OpenAI and other AI companies have joined voluntary safety commitments, while Altman says industry discussions happen through calls, meetings and informal encounters.
- Who
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk.
- What
- Altman said he remains open to working with Musk despite their public dispute and legal battles.
- When
- In an interview with Vanity Fair; the article also refers to a July safety agreement.
- Where
- The interview was with Vanity Fair; the article does not specify where it took place.
- Why
- Altman said cooperation could be possible amid growing pressure for AI companies to coordinate on safety.
Altman’s stated openness
Sources of conflict
Working together
Altman’s stated openness
Altman said he would work with Musk when needed, despite their history.
Sources of conflict
Their relationship has involved public hostility, social-media attacks and legal battles, making practical cooperation uncertain.
OpenAI’s mission
Altman’s stated openness
Altman indicated that disagreement does not rule out future cooperation.
Sources of conflict
Musk accused Altman and other OpenAI leaders of abandoning the nonprofit mission Musk believed the organization was founded to pursue.
- People
- Sam Altman and Elon Musk
- Altman's role
- CEO of OpenAI
- Altman's description
- He called Musk a bully and said Musk respects people who challenge him.
- Legal dispute
- A nine-person jury unanimously found Musk's lawsuit was filed after the statute of limitations expired.
- Safety agreement
- Executives from OpenAI, Anthropic, SpaceXAI, Google and Nvidia signed a White House-backed agreement with voluntary AI-safety commitments in July.
- Industry communication
- Altman said there is no single group chat for leaders at frontier AI companies; discussions happen through calls, meetings and informal encounters.
- Prospect of cooperation
- Altman said he would work with Musk, but whether this leads to meaningful cooperation remains unclear.