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Benzinga
Benzinga
Business
Bibhu Pattnaik

Elon Musk Calls Out Sam Altman Over Tesla Roadster Refund: 'This Issue Was Fixed and You Received a Refund Within 24 Hours'

Elon,Musk,,Ceo,Of,Tesla,,In,A,Formal,Suit,With

Elon Musk and Sam Altman are once again in a public spat, this time over a car.

The latest clash centers on the OpenAI CEO's canceled reservation for the long-delayed Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) Roadster, reigniting tensions between two of Silicon Valley's most prominent figures.

Altman shared a series of screenshots earlier this week showing his attempt to cancel his Roadster order and request a refund.

He posted, "A tale in three acts," alongside an email confirming a $45,000 payment from 2018, followed by messages seeking a $50,000 refund.

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."

Musk quickly fired back on X, claiming Altman had left out key details. "And you forgot to mention act 4, where this issue was fixed and you received a refund within 24 hours. But that is in your nature," Musk wrote.

Also Read: Elon Musk Accuses Sam Altman’s OpenAI of Misusing Its Nonprofit Status

The Tesla Roadster, first unveiled in 2017, was billed as "the fastest production car ever made." Yet, the model remains in "design development," according to Tesla's latest earnings report.

During a recent appearance on the "Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, Musk said the upcoming Roadster would feature "crazy technology," claiming it's "crazier than all the James Bond cars combined."

The exchange adds to a growing list of public disputes between the two tech titans. Musk, who co-founded OpenAI before parting ways in 2018, has accused Altman of turning the organization into a "closed source, maximum-profit" company dominated by Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT).

Musk even sued OpenAI in 2024, alleging it violated its nonprofit roots. OpenAI, in turn, shared emails suggesting Musk once wanted the company to merge with Tesla.

OpenAI recently said it completed a restructuring, forming the nonprofit OpenAI Foundation to oversee a new public benefit arm, OpenAI Group PBC.

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