Sam Altman Hits Back: OpenAI CEO Challenges Elon Musk to Prove Allegations After ‘Liar’ Remark

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk are once again in the centre of a dramatic public clash, this time following a fiery exchange of words on social media over Apple’s App Store and the fairness of its rankings. The recent standoff began when Musk, who leads the AI company xAI and owns the platform X (formerly Twitter), accused Apple of giving an unfair advantage to OpenAI’s ChatGPT on the App Store. He called this move an “unequivocal antitrust violation” and threatened immediate legal action, claiming that Apple was making it impossible for any other AI app besides ChatGPT to reach the No.1 position in the charts.

Sam Altman was quick to counter Musk’s allegations. In a pointed post, Altman highlighted that even as Musk accused Apple of bias, there have been persistent claims and news reports that Musk himself has manipulated the X platform’s algorithm to boost his own interests, elevate his companies, and push down competitors. Without mincing words, Altman described Musk’s claims as “remarkable,” considering what has been reported about how X is run.

The feud took a personal turn with Musk lashing out at Altman, calling him a “liar” and questioning the integrity of Altman’s statements. Musk argued that if he really were manipulating engagement on X, Altman’s posts criticising him would never have gained such high visibility, adding, “You got 3 million views on your bullshit post, you liar, far more than I’ve received on many of mine, despite me having 50 times your follower count!” Altman responded with an internet slang phrase, “skill issue,” cheekily suggesting that perhaps the problem was Musk’s own lack of popularity or skill in posting, not any bias in the platform.

Turning the tables completely, Altman issued a formal public challenge to Musk. The OpenAI CEO wrote, “Will you sign an affidavit that you have never directed changes to the X algorithm in a way that has hurt your competitors or helped your own companies? I will apologise if so.” Altman’s message was clear: if Musk could legally swear that he had never manipulated the X algorithm for his own gain, Altman would offer a public apology. So far, Musk has not responded to this request for an affidavit.

Adding further spice to the spectacle, Musk’s own AI chatbot, Grok, unexpectedly took Altman’s side when asked about the spat online. Grok pointed to published evidence and ongoing investigations suggesting that Musk has indeed influenced the X algorithm for self-benefit, and even noted that other AI apps reached the top spot on the App Store in 2025, a year after the Apple–OpenAI partnership, thus casting doubt on Musk’s accusations against Apple.

The altercation between Altman and Musk is the latest in a string of tense episodes between the two technology leaders. Both co-founded OpenAI in 2015, but their relationship soured after Musk’s failed attempt to take control of the company in 2018, leading to his exit. Since then, the rivalry has only intensified, ranging from court battles to heated social media exchanges. Now, their personal enmity has become public entertainment, with millions online following each move.

Long or Short, get news the way you like. No ads. No redirections. Download Newspin and Stay Alert, The CSR Journal Mobile app, for fast, crisp, clean updates!

App Store –  https://apps.apple.com/in/app/newspin/id6746449540 

Google Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inventifweb.newspin&pcampaignid=web_share