The billionaires are fighting again, with Elon Musk being brutally roasted by his fellow OpenAI co-founder. While the world's richest man and Sam Altman were once thick as thieves, they've since drifted apart and engaged in a series of heated legal cases since Musk left OpenAI in 2018.
Notably, Elon Musk launched a lawsuit against his former business amid claims it was no longer living up to its not-for-profit credentials. Sam Altman and OpenAI returned the favor by trying to sue Musk alongside allegations that he’s trying to monopolize the artificial intelligence industry for his own endeavours. In the latest volley, Musk put Apple and OpenAI in his sights, maintaining that his rivals have engaged in a "conspiracy to monopolize the markets for smartphones and generative AI chatbots."
Just when it looks like Musk's various feuds with Jeff Bezos have died down, he has another billionaire to contend with, as Altman takes aim at Tesla's ongoing car troubles with the Roadster. Not the OG Tesla that Musk launched into space to become one of the rarest vehicles in the world, but for years, Tesla has been promising a second generation of the Roadster. As far back as 2014, there's been talk of the Tesla Model R, with Tesla even claiming it would be able to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in a breakneck 1.9 seconds.
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Originally slated to start production in 2020, the Tesla Roadster has become something of a myth.
Posting on X, Altman joked about "A tale in three acts." Shared a screenshot from a July 2018 email, the OpenAI CEO confirmed he'd paid a $45,000 deposit for the supposedly upcoming model of Tesla Roadster.
This was accompanied by an October 30 email that read: "Hi, I'd like to cancel my reservation. Could you please refund me the $50k?"
The irony is that the email to [email protected] bounced back. In a follow-up, a seemingly smug Altman wrote: "I really was excited for the car! And I understand delays. But 7.5 years has felt like a long time to wait."
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The latest uproar in the Roadster saga comes after a major tech YouTuber tried to cancel their order and claw back their $50,000 deposit. Others have accused Tesla of 'stealing' from them, as there's still no sign of their Roadster orders.
For many, they aren't convinced the second-generation Tesla Roadster will ever hit the streets.
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In an October 2024 earnings call, Musk reiterated that the electric vehicle is coming, but the holdup was down to Tesla trying to achieve a "sustainable energy future." At the time, Musk explained: "We are working on it, but it has to come behind things that have a more serious impact on the world. So, just thank you to all our long-suffering Tesla Roadster deposit holders."
Musk remained hopeful that those who'd pre-ordered the Roadster would be behind the wheel in 2025, but with just a matter of weeks until we drive into 2026, things aren't looking too bright for Atman and the rest.
While many called Altman out, saying he doesn't exactly need the $50,000, others turned their attention toward Musk. One critic wrote: "Let's talk about the greatest magic trick Elon Musk ever pulled. 🎩."
Another added: "Lock up $45,000 for 7-8 years when there's obviously been zero progress and no intention of making the product...What a f**king scam."
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A third said: "The Tesla Roadster was announced in 2017 and required a $50k down payment. if you instead invested that $50k in Tesla stock, you’d have over $800k today. Never give this company/Elon Musk money."