The OpenAI logo is seen on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen showing images of Sam Altman, left, and Elon Musk, on March 14, 2024.
Muhammad Salim Korkutata | Anatolia | Getty Images
Elon Musk He claimed overnight Tuesday that the tech giants OpenAI, oracle and Softbank They don't have enough money to fulfill their high-profile pledge Investment of 500 billion dollars In the United States' artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO made the comment just hours after the president Donald Trump He unveiled the massive project at the White House on his first full day in office.
“They literally have no money,” Musk wrote in response to an OpenAI post on his social platform X about the new project, which he called Project Stargate.
“SoftBank got a lot less than $10 billion. I have that amount on good authority,” Musk added.
On Wednesday morning, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded directly to Musk.
“I truly respect your accomplishments and believe you are the most inspiring businessman of our time,” Altman wrote. He did not address Musk's accusation regarding Stargate financing.
Softbank, OpenAI and Oracle did not immediately respond to CNBC's requests 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 very special. It's going to lead to something that could be the biggest ever,” Trump said.
As he spoke, Trump was flanked 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, were already under construction in Abilene, Texas, and that 10 more were under construction.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, accompanied by US President Donald Trump, Oracle CTO Larry Ellison (right), and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son (2nd right), speak during a press conference in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on January 21, 2025 in Washington, DC .
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Musk, who leads Trump's new Government Efficiency Advisory Council, DougA tense relationship with Altman.
In March, Musk and his AI startup, xAI, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, claiming… Breach of contract. Later, Musk dropped that suit and Altman sued In federal court.
Altman's reaction to “X” matches the tone he has previously taken toward Musk publicly.
“I may turn out to be wrong, but I strongly believe Elon will do the right thing,” Altman said in December when asked if he was concerned about how Musk would exert his influence in the White House.
Stargate “will begin deploying $100 billion immediately,” OpenAI said in a X statement issued Tuesday.
Son will be chairman of the new company, whose initial equity financiers are SoftBank, OpenAI, Oracle and UAE-based MGX Bank, according to the post.
News of the infrastructure initiative sent Oracle shares up 7% on Tuesday.
An OpenAI post is also listed Microsoft As one of Stargate's key initial technology partners. The company said earlier this month that it plans to invest $80 billion in the next fiscal year in AI-equipped data centers.
Asked on CNBC's “Squawk Box” on Wednesday about Stargate, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said: “I'm not particularly interested in the details of what they're investing in.”
When asked about Musk's posts questioning Stargate's funding, Nadella responded: “Look, all I know is I'm good for $80 billion.”
