OpenAI’s ambitious Project Stargate — a $500 billion AI infrastructure initiative — has become the latest flashpoint in the high-stakes rivalry between Sam Altman and Elon Musk. In May, there were reports that Tesla (TSLA) CEO and former presidential advisor Musk attempted to block OpenAI’s deal to build one of the world’s largest AI data centers in the United Arab Emirates unless his own company, xAI, was included. In a candid exchange on the OpenAI Podcast, Altman addressed reports that Musk tried to leverage political influence in Washington to derail the Stargate UAE project, expressing regret and disappointment over what he sees as a breach of fair competition.
“I had said, I think also externally, but at least internally after the election that I didn't think Elon was going to abuse his power in the government to unfairly compete. And I regret to say that I was wrong on that,” Altman said. “I don't like being wrong in general, but mostly, I just think it's really unfortunate for the country that he would do these things, and I didn't think — I genuinely didn't think he was going to. I'm grateful that the administration has really done the right thing and stuck up to that kind of behavior. But yeah, it sucks.”
