Sam Altman mocks Elon Musk: 'The best benchmark is that he’s obsessed with me again

The long-running feud between Sam Altman and Elon Musk has a fresh public chapter. Just after OpenAI unveiled its latest AI model, GPT-5.6 Sol, Altman posted a pointed message on X—touting the model’s performance while slipping in a sarcastic jab at his former cofounder.

With a single line, the OpenAI CEO tied GPT-5.6 Sol’s benchmark wins to a personal swipe at Musk. The comment went viral fast, underscoring that the clash between two of AI’s most powerful figures is very much alive.

This exchange didn’t come out of nowhere. Musk and Altman cofounded OpenAI in 2015 to advance AI safely and responsibly. After Musk left in 2018, disagreements escalated into open conflict.

While OpenAI evolved into a commercial AI powerhouse backed by billions from Microsoft, Musk launched his own venture, xAI. He has since accused OpenAI of betraying its original mission. That criticism has fueled lawsuits, public attacks on social media, and even a takeover attempt—dismissed by Altman at the time with similar sarcasm.

AI Wereld has extensively covered the intensifying power struggle, in which legal battles collide with the future of OpenAI and the broader AI industry.

Altman’s timing is no accident. OpenAI recently introduced GPT-5.6 Sol, which the company says outperforms rivals on multiple independent benchmarks. It reportedly sets a new bar in coding, scientific reasoning, cybersecurity, and complex knowledge work.

Altman pointed straight to those results. He said there are “many benchmarks” showing GPT-5.6 Sol is the strongest AI model right now. But his real punchline landed in the second half of the post: Musk’s renewed fixation is, in Altman’s words, the “most reliable benchmark.”

It fits a familiar pattern. Nearly every major OpenAI launch is followed by Musk’s criticism on X, where he regularly goes after both the company and Altman’s direction.

What began as a strategic dispute has morphed into one of Silicon Valley’s defining business feuds. Behind the barbs is a fight for influence, talent, compute—and leadership in the global AI race.

OpenAI is now among the clear market leaders, while Musk is building xAI into a serious challenger. Both are pouring tens of billions of dollars into data centers, AI chips, and next-gen models. The CEOs’ rivalry is increasingly inseparable from the corporate battle between two of the sector’s most important players.

For longtime observers, Altman’s quip won’t shock. He has often parried Musk with humor and sarcasm. When Musk made a near-$100 billion bid for OpenAI in early 2025, Altman mocked the move by suggesting he’d buy back X (then Twitter) for a fraction of that amount.

This latest post slots neatly into a long-running series of public showdowns where both founders take aim not just professionally, but personally.

The spat shows how the AI contest increasingly plays out on social media. Benchmarks, model performance, and product launches still matter—but personal rivalries now shape the public narrative just as much.

For OpenAI, the spotlight lands at a convenient moment. GPT-5.6 Sol is drawing global attention, and Altman’s jab ensures the launch stays in the conversation. It’s unlikely Musk will let it slide. Given their history, the next round of this AI duel is only a matter of time.