Elon Musk fires 6 xAI co-founders, claims reorganization needed for speed
Half of xAI's founding team is out as Musk pushes for faster execution.
Deep Dive
Elon Musk has confirmed a major shakeup at xAI, with 6 of the original 12 co-founders departing. Musk framed the exits as a necessary reorganization to improve "speed of execution" as the company scales, stating they were not voluntary. At least 11 engineers have left recently, with some hinting at a desire for more autonomy. Three departing staff are reportedly starting a new venture together, signaling internal friction and a potential brain drain.
Why It Matters
Losing half its founding team raises serious questions about xAI's stability and internal culture as it races against OpenAI and Anthropic.