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Billionaires Elon Musk and Sam Altman are once again locked in a public war of words after Musk claimed that OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, has been linked to multiple deaths since its launch in 2022. The latest exchange underscores the deepening rift between the two tech leaders, who co-founded OpenAI more than a decade ago but have since become vocal critics of each other.
The controversy erupted after Musk responded to a social media post alleging that ChatGPT had been connected to nine deaths, including five suicides involving both teenagers and adults. Amplifying the claim on X (formerly Twitter), Musk issued a stark warning to users.
“Don’t let your loved ones use ChatGPT,” the Tesla and SpaceX chief wrote on Tuesday, reigniting global debate around the ethical and safety implications of artificial intelligence tools being used by vulnerable individuals.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded within hours, pushing back against Musk’s remarks and defending ChatGPT’s safety framework. While acknowledging the seriousness of the reported cases, Altman described them as “tragic and complicated” and stressed that OpenAI takes user safety extremely seriously.
“Almost a billion people use it, and some of them may be in very fragile mental states,” Altman wrote on X. “We will continue to do our best to get this right, and we feel a huge responsibility to do the best we can.”
Altman highlighted the challenge faced by AI companies in balancing safety measures with usability. He said OpenAI constantly works to protect vulnerable users while ensuring its tools remain broadly useful and accessible.
He also accused Musk of inconsistency, pointing out that the Tesla CEO has previously criticised ChatGPT for being overly restrictive. “Sometimes you complain about ChatGPT being too restrictive, and then in cases like this, you claim it’s too relaxed,” Altman said.
Musk has repeatedly accused OpenAI of abandoning its original mission as a non-profit organisation dedicated to safe and open AI research. He argues that the company’s transition to a for-profit structure, backed heavily by Microsoft, has compromised its principles.
In his latest remarks, Musk referred to a reported murder-suicide case involving a man who allegedly had delusional conversations with ChatGPT. Calling the incident “diabolical”, Musk said artificial intelligence systems should not “pander to delusions”.
He has consistently warned that advanced AI systems could cause real-world harm if deployed without strict safeguards, especially when interacting with users experiencing mental health crises.
Altman did not limit his response to defending OpenAI. He turned the spotlight on Musk’s own companies, particularly Tesla’s Autopilot system. According to Altman, more than 50 deaths have been linked to crashes involving Autopilot, citing reports that drivers often treated the system as fully autonomous.
“Apparently more than 50 people have died from crashes related to Autopilot,” Altman wrote, adding that his own experience riding in a vehicle using the feature left him feeling unsafe.
A 2024 investigation had linked Tesla’s Autopilot to nearly 1,000 crashes, including over two dozen fatalities. Musk, however, has consistently defended the system, claiming it improves road safety and reduces accidents overall. He has also announced plans to shift Tesla’s full self-driving feature to a subscription-based model.
Altman also criticised Grok, the AI chatbot developed by Musk’s company xAI. Grok faced widespread backlash after users generated inappropriate images of real people, including minors, using its image-generation feature. Following the controversy, X said it would impose stricter limits on Grok’s capabilities.
“You take ‘every accusation is a confession’ so far,” Altman remarked, taking a pointed swipe at Musk.
Beyond public sparring, Musk’s dispute with OpenAI has moved into the courtroom. Musk has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that OpenAI defrauded him by converting into a for-profit entity, violating the founding agreement under which it was established as a non-profit research lab.
In court filings, Musk is seeking damages of up to $134 billion from OpenAI and Microsoft. He claims his early contributions of around $38 million — roughly 60 per cent of OpenAI’s seed funding — were instrumental in launching the organisation, attracting top talent and establishing credibility.
According to Musk, OpenAI gained between $65.5 billion and $109.4 billion from the shift, while Microsoft gained between $13.3 billion and $25.1 billion through its partnership with the AI firm.
Musk and Altman co-founded OpenAI in 2015 with the stated aim of ensuring artificial general intelligence benefits humanity as a whole. Musk left OpenAI’s board in 2018, citing potential conflicts of interest with Tesla’s AI work. Since then, their relationship has steadily deteriorated.
The latest exchange highlights broader concerns around AI safety, accountability and the responsibility of tech companies deploying powerful tools at scale. As AI becomes more embedded in everyday life, questions about regulation, mental health safeguards and corporate ethics are likely to intensify.
The renewed clash between Elon Musk and Sam Altman reflects not just a personal feud, but a wider debate over how artificial intelligence should be governed and deployed. While Musk warns of unchecked risks, Altman argues for responsible innovation balanced with real-world usability. As legal battles and public scrutiny grow, the outcome of this dispute could shape the future direction of consumer AI worldwide.
20 January 2026
19 January 2026