The Great Tech War Of 2026: Musk Battles OpenAI And Ryanair Simultaneously

MENLO PARK, CA—The world’s richest man has once again turned the tech and aviation industries into a digital battleground. On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, a fierce exchange on the X platform (formerly Twitter) saw Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman trade deeply personal accusations, just days after Musk ignited a separate, equally chaotic spat with Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary.

The escalating drama comes at a critical time for Musk, who is currently suing OpenAI for a staggering $134 billion while simultaneously navigating regulatory hurdles in Europe.

1. Musk vs. Altman: Safety Concerns or “Confession”?

The latest clash was sparked when Musk amplified unverified claims linking ChatGPT to user deaths, including cases of suicide.

• The Accusation: Musk warned his followers: “Don’t let your loved ones use ChatGPT,” citing alleged instances of the AI’s guardrails being too “relaxed” for vulnerable users.
• The Counter-Strike: Sam Altman took to X to highlight the irony of Musk’s safety concerns. He pointed out that Tesla Autopilot has been linked to over 50 deaths and criticized the development of Grok AI, which has faced backlash for creating nonconsensual imagery.
• The Zinger: Altman closed his retort by telling Musk, “You take ‘every accusation is a confession’ so far,” suggesting that Musk’s criticisms of OpenAI reflect his own companies’ failures.

2. The $134 Billion Lawsuit: “Wrongful Gains”

Behind the social media jabs lies a massive legal battle set for trial in late April 2026.

• The Claim: Musk alleges that OpenAI and Microsoft earned between $79 billion and $134 billion in “wrongful gains” after abandoning the company’s original nonprofit mission.
• The Math: Musk’s legal team argues that his initial $38 million seed donation entitles him to a portion of OpenAI’s current $500 billion valuation.
• The Defense: OpenAI has labeled the lawsuit a “pattern of harassment” and an attempt by Musk to sabotage a direct competitor to his own AI venture, xAI.

3. The Ryanair Feud: “Should I Buy It?”

While fighting OpenAI, Musk is also locked in a bizarre dispute with Michael O’Leary, the outspoken head of Ryanair.

• The Trigger: O’Leary refused to install Starlink on Ryanair flights, citing a “2% fuel penalty” due to the drag of the antennas.
• The Insults: Musk called O’Leary “misinformed” and an “idiot,” eventually launching an X poll asking if he should buy the airline and “put someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge.”
• The Outcome: Nearly 75% of respondents voted for Musk to acquire the carrier, though market analysts remain skeptical that a €30 billion takeover is truly in the works.

Musk’s Current Conflict Scorecard (Jan 2026)