The OpenAI logo is displayed on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen showing photos of Sam Altman, left, and Elon Musk, March 14, 2024.
Muhammed Selim Korkutata | Anadolu | Getty Images
Elon Musk he claimed during the night on Tuesday that the technology giants OpenAI, Oracle and Softbank they don’t have enough money to fulfill their high-profile promise invest 500 billion dollars in the US AI infrastructure.
The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX made the comment just hours after the president Donald Trump he revealed the massive project at the White House on his first full day in office.
“They don’t really have any money,” Musk wrote in response to an OpenAI post on his social platform X about the new venture, called the Stargate project.
“SoftBank has well under $10 billion underwritten. I have that on good authority,” Musk added.
On Wednesday morning, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded directly to Musk.
“I have the utmost respect for your accomplishments and think you are the most inspiring entrepreneur of our time,” Altman wrote. He did not address Musk’s allegations about Stargate funding.
Softbank, OpenAI and Oracle did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on Musk’s claim.
Musk’s comments undermined Trump’s announcement Tuesday afternoon that Stargate would “invest at least $500 billion” and create “more than 100,000 American jobs almost immediately.”
“I think it’s going to be something that’s very special. It’s going to lead to something that might be the biggest of all,” Trump said.
As he spoke, Trump was joined by Altman, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son.
Ellison said at the event that 10 data centers, each measuring 500,000 square feet, are already under construction in Abilene, Texas, and that 10 more are in the works.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, flanked by US President Donald Trump, Oracle CTO Larry Ellison (right) and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son (2nd-right), speaks during a press conference in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on April 21. January 2025 in Washington, DC.
Andrew Harnik | Getty Images
Musk, who heads Trump’s new advisory committee on government efficiency, DUZDZhas a strained relationship with Altman.
In March, Musk and his AI startup, xAI, sued OpenAI, alleging breach of contract. Musk later dropped that suit and sued Altman in federal court.
Altman’s response to X matches the tone he’s taken with Musk in public before.
“I may turn out to be wrong, but I have a pretty strong belief that Elon will do the right thing,” Altman said in December, when asked if he was worried about how Musk could use his influence in the White House.
OpenAI said in X’s statement on Tuesday that Stargate “will begin deploying $100 billion immediately.”
Son will be chairman of the new company, whose initial shareholders include SoftBank, OpenAI, Oracle and United Arab Emirates-based lender MGX, according to the announcement.
News of the infrastructure initiative sent Oracle shares up 7% on Tuesday.
OpenAI’s post is also listed Microsoft as one of its key initial technology partners in Stargate. The company said earlier this month that it plans to invest $80 billion in the next fiscal year in data centers that support artificial intelligence.
Asked on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” Wednesday about Stargate, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said, “I’m not really into the details of what they’re investing in.”
Asked about Musk’s posts questioning Stargate’s funding, Nadella replied, “Look, all I know is that I’m good for my $80 billion.”
