According to Business Insider, Elon Musk and Sam Altman recently engaged in another public spat on X where Altman claimed Tesla owed him a refund while Musk criticized the OpenAI chief’s leadership. This follows Musk’s June dispute with Donald Trump that caused Tesla shares to plummet, wiping $138 billion from the company’s valuation and dropping Musk’s net worth by $34 billion. Research from Columbia Business School and Nagoya University suggests that in competitive environments, people often admire aggressive leaders and those with low concern for reputation. Crisis communications veteran Kevin Donahue called this public sparring “a sharp departure” from traditional CEO behavior where leaders kept conflicts private to avoid organizational damage.
The strategy behind the squabbles
Here’s the thing – this isn’t just random bickering. Experts think it’s probably deliberate strategy on both sides. Wharton marketing professor Americus Reed told Business Insider that a pugilistic approach keeps both companies in the public eye and reinforces the “I won’t be outdone” narrative. Basically, it’s the ultimate tech-bro flex.
And there’s research backing this up. That Columbia study found people who see the world as ruthless actually admire aggressive leaders. Meanwhile, the Nagoya University research shows low reputation concerns can be an advantage in competitive settings. So in the cutthroat AI race, being seen as a fighter might actually help.
But it’s a dangerous game
Look, most corporate boards would absolutely hate this behavior. Donahue was clear that “most public companies and boards don’t want the CEO to be out there like this.” And we’ve seen the consequences – remember that $138 billion Tesla wipeout?
Reed calls social media “like a loaded gun” and wouldn’t recommend this approach to most leaders. Workforce development expert Josh Cordoz notes that public squabbles over trivial matters can erode influence and distract from real issues like job security. When leaders appear to be fighting personal battles, it risks alienating both employees and customers.
Why Musk and Altman get away with it
So why can these two break all the rules? Donahue points out that neither operates in a “staid corporate environment” where they’d face pressure to be more buttoned-down. Plus, he notes, “These aren’t wallflowers.” They’ve built their brands around being disruptors, and public feuding fits that narrative perfectly.
But here’s the real question: Would this work for the CEO of Procter & Gamble? Probably not. The tech sector’s different – it rewards audacity and thrives on drama. In more traditional industries, this same behavior would likely be career suicide. The key is knowing your audience and environment. For Musk and Altman, their particular brand of public sparring might just be another power move in the high-stakes AI arms race.
