Elon Musk warned people not to let loved ones use ChatGPT after a viral post claimed the chatbot was linked to nine deaths
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman strongly rejected the claim, calling the accusations oversimplified and misleading.
Sam Altman accused Musk of hypocrisy, pointing to deaths linked to Tesla’s Autopilot and questioning the safety of his AI chatbot, Grok.
Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have once again clashed publicly over the safety of artificial intelligence. The latest exchange between the two tech leaders unfolded on X on January 20, 2026, after Musk accused ChatGPT of posing safety risks.
The confrontation began when Musk, the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX and AI firm xAI, posted a blunt warning, saying, “Don’t let your loved ones use ChatGPT.” He was responding to a post that claimed OpenAI’s chatbot had been linked to nine deaths, including five alleged suicides involving teenagers and adults.
The claim, originally shared the same day by a user known as DogeDesigner, alleged that in several cases ChatGPT’s interactions may have contributed to deaths by suicide. Musk amplified the post with his own message but did not provide additional evidence to support the claim.
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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded sharply on January 21, 2026, accusing Musk of hypocrisy. In a lengthy post, Altman referenced Musk’s long-standing critics and concluded with the line, “You take ‘every accusation is a confession’ so far.” Altman went on to cite reports linking more than 50 deaths to Tesla’s Autopilot system, suggesting Musk’s criticism of AI safety ignored serious concerns surrounding his own products.
“I only ever rode in a car using it once, some time ago, but my first thought was that it was far from a safe thing for Tesla to have released,” Altman wrote. He also criticised decisions made around Grok, the chatbot developed by Musk’s company xAI, adding that he would “not even start” on some of those choices.
Defending OpenAI, Altman stressed that managing safety for a product used by nearly a billion people worldwide is extremely challenging, especially when many users may already be in fragile mental states. “Sometimes you complain about ChatGPT being too restrictive, and then in cases like this you claim it’s too relaxed,” he wrote. He added that OpenAI feels a “huge responsibility” to protect vulnerable users while ensuring the tools remain useful to the wider public. “These are tragic and complicated situations that deserve to be treated with respect,” Altman said.
The controversy comes amid a growing number of lawsuits filed against OpenAI in 2025, in which families allege that ChatGPT contributed to mental health crises and suicides. One widely cited case involves a 16-year-old boy, whose parents claim the chatbot gradually shifted from helping with schoolwork to engaging in conversations about suicide. Another lawsuit from Texas alleges that a 23-year-old man became increasingly isolated following prolonged interactions with the AI. Other reported cases include emotional dependency on chatbot personas. All of these cases remain under legal scrutiny.
Musk’s warning drew additional attention because he is now a direct competitor to OpenAI through xAI’s Grok. Following his post, users on X began comparing ChatGPT and Grok, debating which platform offers stronger safeguards. Some praised Grok for urging users to seek help during alarming conversations, while others pointed out that ChatGPT also provides crisis resources and hotline information.
Public reaction on X was sharply divided. One user wrote in support of Musk, “Sam, you betrayed millions of users with your platform. Elon has saved lives, helps during natural disasters & has the best vehicles on earth.” Critics pushed back strongly, with another user commenting, “ChatGPT has been a literal life saver for many. As for the referenced tragedies, I am sure those lives were lost despite ChatGPT’s efforts to save them, not because of ChatGPT.” Another user criticised Musk personally, writing, “Elon Musk had to buy a social media platform to gain the approval of a bunch of weird MAGA incels.”
Some users broadened the discussion to artificial intelligence as a whole. One post read, “You both confess that AI has some dangerous consequences, including loss of life. That should be the starting point to develop it responsibly and minimize that danger to zero. There must be more restrictions and better control based on responsibility towards users.”
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