Co-founding OpenAI in 2015, Elon Musk and Sam Altman had a shared goal of advancing artificial intelligence (AI) for the good of everybody. But their relationship has degraded over time as different opinions on the direction of the company have caused public conflicts, legal fights, and rival businesses. From Musk’s departure in 2018 over concerns about OpenAI’s move toward a for-profit model, to his founding of xAI in 2023 as a rival company, and finally Musk’s recent $97.4 billion hostile takeover bid for OpenAI in February 2025, which Altman immediately rejected, this paper investigates the evolution of their conflict. Their continuous competitiveness has had a major impact on the artificial intelligence sector, therefore guiding public opinion, innovation paths, and regulatory debates.