A fresh public clash has reignited tensions between two of Silicon Valley’s most outspoken tech leaders. After Elon Musk warned users to keep their loved ones away from ChatGPT, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded with a sharp rebuttal. Altman defended OpenAI’s safety approach while turning Musk’s criticism back toward Tesla and xAI’s Grok, escalating an already long-running feud.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman calls out Elon Musk over ChatGPT warning
Altman responded to Musk’s comments on X, shutting down claims that ChatGPT is unsafe. He explained that running guardrails for a tool used by nearly a billion people is anything but easy, especially when some users are emotionally fragile. He added that OpenAI gets conflicting complaints where one group says the rules are too strict, while another says they’re too lenient. Altman stressed that safety comes with massive responsibility. Protecting vulnerable users matters, but putting too many restrictions can also stop others from getting real value out of the tech.
Altman wrote, “Sometimes you complain about ChatGPT being too restrictive, and then in cases like this, you claim it’s too relaxed. Almost a billion people use it, and some of them may be in very fragile mental states. We will continue to do our best to get this right, and we feel a huge responsibility to do the best we can, but these are tragic and complicated situations that deserve to be treated with respect.“
Altman then turned the spotlight back on Musk. He pointed to reports that tie Tesla’s Autopilot to dozens of deadly crashes and even shared his own experience riding in a car using the system. As per Altman, it didn’t feel anywhere near ready for everyday drivers, which made Musk’s warnings about OpenAI sound a bit pick-and-choose.
He also threw shade at Musk’s AI venture, xAI, and its chatbot Grok. “I won’t even start on some of the Grok decisions.” The OpenAI CEO wrapped it up with a familiar jab often aimed at Musk, writing, “every accusation is a confession.”
