Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Claims that the Israeli occupation has withdrawn from areas in the neighborhoods of al-Zaytoun, al-Tuffah, and al-Shujaiya are false
Hamas: The two delegations stressed that any negotiations must lead to the achievement of our people's goals and aspirations, foremost among which is ending the war and the complete withdrawal of enemy forces
Hamas: A delegation from the Hamas leadership, led by the head of the leadership council, Mohammad Darwish, met with an Islamic Jihad delegation, headed by its Secretary-General, Ziyad al-Nakhalah

Could Musk abuse his governmental position to target OpenAI?

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Financial Times
  • 15 Dec 2024 13:25
3 Min Read

A report by the Financial Times discusses Elon Musk's new governmental role and how the billionaire could leverage his position to target his competitors, precisely OpenAI.

Listen
  • x
  • Elon Musk attends the formal reopening of France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral on December 7, 2024 in Paris. (AP)
    Elon Musk attends the formal reopening of France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral on December 7, 2024, in Paris. (AP)

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is grappling with an unpredictable challenge to his ambition of turning the startup into a trillion-dollar company, the Financial Times (FT) wrote on Sunday. 

Since Donald Trump's election, OpenAI has been preparing for the new US administration, complicated by Musk’s growing influence as a confidant of the president-elect, FT wrote.

The report states that OpenAI, a rival to Musk, is trying to anticipate how he might leverage his position to target the company with new regulations or influence lucrative government contracts that could benefit his AI startup, xAI.

"I believe pretty strongly that Elon will do the right thing and that it would be profoundly un-American to use political power, to the degree that Elon has it, to hurt your competitors and advantage your own businesses," Altman said at a New York Times conference last week.

Moreover, FT reports that Trump has expressed confidence that Musk would prioritize national interest, while Musk, on his social media platform X, said rivals were "right" to expect him to be magnanimous.

"No one believes that for a second," said a lawyer who has clashed with Musk before.

Related News

What is Netanyahu smoking? Araghchi slams Israeli influence over US

Pentagon official assessment shifted US focus from Ukraine to China

'Musk could leverage his position'

Once close partners in founding OpenAI in 2015, Musk and Altman’s relationship has since declined.

Musk has referred to Altman as "swindly Sam" and filed lawsuits accusing him and OpenAI of "deceit of Shakespearean proportions" while seeking to void its multibillion-dollar partnership with Microsoft.

The Financial Times wrote, citing an investor in one of Musk's companies, that he could leverage his position as a central player in the incoming administration to boost xAI.

"The US government is the biggest employer in the US," the person said. "As [Musk’s] web of customers expands, does the government become a large customer [for xAI]?"

Reid Hoffman, a former OpenAI board member, speculated that Musk could use his position to hinder competitors to xAI.

"You could just do all of that kind of thing if you’re implementing government policy to try to privilege one company over others," he said, adding that it would be "frankly a very destructive thing to do. It’s destructive for the industry, it’s destructive for American society."

For now, OpenAI’s biggest challenge from Musk comes from direct competition from xAI, rather than political leverage, according to the Financial Times. 

  • Elon Musk
  • openAI
  • xAi
  • United States
  • Sam Altman

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemeni air defenses repel substantial part of Israeli aggression

Yemeni air defenses confront Israeli aggression on Hodeidah

  • Politics
  • 7 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS