Sam Altman Demands $50,000 Refund for Delayed Tesla Roadster

URGENT UPDATE: Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is demanding a $50,000 refund for a Tesla Roadster he ordered back in July 2018. His recent request to Tesla has gone unanswered, intensifying his frustration over the lengthy wait for the highly anticipated vehicle.

Altman took to X on Thursday to share his experience, posting a screenshot of an email from 2018 confirming his $45,000 deposit. In his follow-up email sent on Thursday, Altman asked to cancel the order and requested a refund of $50,000, which was $5,000 more than the original deposit. The email, however, bounced back, leaving him without a response from Tesla.

“I really was excited for the car! And I understand delays. But 7.5 years has felt like a long time to wait,” Altman expressed in a subsequent post. His comments highlight the ongoing frustration among early deposit holders, as Tesla’s production timelines have faced numerous setbacks.

The new Tesla Roadster was one of the most eagerly awaited vehicles announced by Elon Musk in 2017. Musk claimed it would be “the fastest production car ever made,” capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in under two seconds. The initial production was scheduled for 2020, but has been delayed multiple times.

In a recent earnings call in October 2024, Musk stated that Tesla is finalizing the Roadster’s design but emphasized that the company is prioritizing projects with a significant impact on achieving a “sustainable energy future.”

“We are working on it, but it has to come behind things that have a more serious impact on the world,” Musk said, acknowledging the frustrations of long-suffering Roadster deposit holders.

Altman’s refund request has reignited discussions about the ongoing tensions between him and Musk, stemming from their shared history at OpenAI. The two co-founded the AI research organization in 2015, but Musk stepped down from the board in 2018 and has since publicly criticized Altman’s leadership.

In February 2024, Musk filed a lawsuit against Altman and OpenAI over allegations of violating its nonprofit mission. Though he withdrew the lawsuit in June, he refiled it in August and later sought an injunction to halt OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit entity. A representative for OpenAI dismissed Musk’s actions as “utterly without merit.”

Altman has expressed mixed feelings about Musk, stating during a recent interview, “For a long time, I looked up to him as an incredible hero… I have different feelings now.” His comments reflect a complex relationship that has evolved amid ongoing legal disputes and public disagreements.

As of now, neither Musk nor Tesla has commented on Altman’s refund request. With Tesla’s continued delays and the mounting pressure from early depositors, the situation remains tense. The public is left to wonder: what will be the outcome of Altman’s demand, and how will it affect Tesla’s reputation among its loyal customers?

Stay tuned for updates on this developing story as the situation unfolds.