'Sociopath, pathological liar', Musk agrees with claims about OpenAI CEO
What's the story
Elon Musk has shared an interview with Robin Farrow, a journalist who wrote a controversial piece on Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. In the interview, associates of Altman described him as a sociopath and pathological liar. The allegations were made in an article by Farrow for The New Yorker titled "Sam Altman May Control Our Future—Can He Be Trusted?" The claims are based on interviews with over 100 people and internal documents.
Accusations
Allegations of dishonesty and manipulation
The article by Farrow alleges that Altman has a history of dishonesty, manipulation, and prioritizing power and profit over safety commitments. It says this pattern has been consistent throughout his career, from Loopt to Y Combinator to OpenAI. The piece also claims Altman misled board members about the approval status of controversial features in an upcoming AI model. While sharing the interview, Musk described Altman as "Not someone you want in charge of superpowerful AI."
Twitter Post
A look at Musk's post
Not someone you want in charge of superpowerful AI pic.twitter.com/17sxmN3Rhc
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 9, 2026
Safety issues
Concerns about AGI leadership
The article raises questions about Altman's trustworthiness in managing transformative AI technology. It argues that artificial general intelligence (AGI) could be humanity's most dangerous invention, requiring a leader of "uncommon integrity" to run a company like OpenAI. The piece also highlights concerns over untested AI models being released to India and false assurances on AI safety provisions given by Altman.
Controversies
Controversial actions and statements
The article details several controversial actions and statements by Altman. These include his attempt to secure funding from Gulf autocracies for massive data-center projects despite security concerns, and his internal discussion of "playing world powers like China and Russia against each other in a bidding war for AI technology." It also mentions Altman's lobbying against AI regulation such as the European Union AI Act.
Return
Altman's ousting and return
Altman was fired as OpenAI CEO in 2023 for lack of candor but returned after organizing a counter-campaign. Thrive Capital's planned tender offer in OpenAI, which valued the company at about $86 billion on paper, was put on hold after Altman's firing and only resumed following his return. The board that ousted him was practically disbanded within five days of his reinstatement. Despite the criticism, Altman has maintained that he can't change his personality and denied lying about anything.