Sam Altman and Elon Musk Clash Over ChatGPT’s Impact on Users
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and xAI founder Elon Musk engaged in a public dispute on social media platform X regarding the safety implications of ChatGPT. Musk warned users against allowing loved ones to interact with the AI chatbot, citing unverified reports linking it to nine fatalities. Altman countered by highlighting the platform's widespread adoption—nearly a billion users—and its ongoing efforts to address mental health concerns sensitively.
The controversy stems from a BBC report indicating 0.07% of weekly active ChatGPT users exhibited signs of severe mental distress, with 0.15% demonstrating suicidal intent. OpenAI has since implemented safeguards for empathetic response protocols. The exchange underscores the tension between AI accessibility and ethical responsibility in large-language model deployment.