Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), has stirred the tech world once again by taking a jab at OpenAI after the company announced its ambitious $500 billion Stargate Project. This initiative, unveiled to cement the United States’ dominance in artificial intelligence (AI), has sparked widespread debate and speculation.
The Stargate Project was initially presented at the White House by former US President Donald Trump. During the announcement, Trump described it as the largest AI infrastructure project in history. The venture is a collaboration involving OpenAI, Oracle (a Texas-based tech giant), and Japan’s SoftBank. According to Trump, this initiative aims to secure America’s leadership in AI innovation while bolstering national security.
On Wednesday, OpenAI officially introduced the project via X, detailing its objectives and financial strategy. The company revealed an initial $100 billion investment, with the remaining $400 billion to be deployed over the next four years. OpenAI emphasized that the initiative would create thousands of jobs, strengthen national security, and drive economic growth on a global scale.
In its post, OpenAI stated, “The Stargate Project is a new company that plans to invest $500 billion over the next four years in building AI infrastructure for OpenAI in the United States. We will begin deploying $100 billion immediately. This infrastructure will secure American leadership in AI, create hundreds of thousands of American jobs, and generate massive economic benefits for the entire world.”
Read also: Trump to open sales of TikTok to Elon Musk
While many celebrated the announcement as a bold step for the AI industry, Musk had a different perspective. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO responded to the post with a biting comment, claiming, “They don’t actually have the money.”
Rather than fueling the tension, Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, took a diplomatic approach. Altman responded by praising Musk, calling him “the most inspiring entrepreneur of our time.”
This exchange highlights the complicated history between Musk and OpenAI. Musk co-founded OpenAI but later parted ways, criticizing its transition from a nonprofit organization to a for-profit entity. In December 2024, Musk filed a court injunction against OpenAI, accusing it of betraying its nonprofit roots. Musk argued that this shift created an uneven playing field for competitors, including his own AI venture, xAI.
As the Stargate Project garners attention, it has become a symbol of both innovation and controversy, drawing sharp divides in the tech community. With a $500 billion price tag, its success—or failure—will undoubtedly shape the future of artificial intelligence and America’s role in it.
