Elon Musk compares OpenAI's Sam Altman to 'Game of Thrones' villain, calls him 'little finger'
Musk alleges that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is putting profits ahead of the public good. Photos: File
Elon Musk has taken to X (formerly Twitter) to throw some serious shade at OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman, comparing him to the infamous "Game of Thrones" character Petyr Baelish, also known as Little Finger.
Musk wrote, "Sam Altman is Little Finger," in a post shared Wednesday night, referring to the manipulative and cunning nature of the fictional antagonist.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 26, 2024
The post followed OpenAI’s announcement that its Chief Technology Officer, Mira Murati, would be leaving her role.
This came after the departure of cofounder Ilya Sutskever in May and Greg Brockman’s decision to take a sabbatical in August.
Musk's comment was in response to a post that featured four photos of Altman, Murati, Brockman, and Sutskever, with each executive being gradually removed from the image.
The billionaire further fueled speculation by retweeting comments criticizing Altman’s motives, including one post that referenced Altman saying he doesn't need more money: "What I personally don't like is the snakey ways Sam is doing all this."
Reports have surfaced about OpenAI's potential shift toward a for-profit structure, raising eyebrows as discussions emerge about giving Altman a 7% equity stake in the company. OpenAI, which is currently described as a "capped-profit" entity, has sparked debates about its mission and partnership with Microsoft, with Musk even filing and later dropping a lawsuit over the issue.
Musk has remained vocal about his concerns with AI and his disagreements with OpenAI's leadership, but the comparison to Little Finger has highlighted the tension between Musk and Altman’s vision for the company.