Mass exodus at xAI follows restructuring and safety disputes
Multiple cofounders and staff left after a SpaceX merger and reorganization, with former employees blaming sidelined safety teams and a strategy of catching up to rivals.
- Cofounders Yuhuai (Tony) Wu and Jimmy Ba announced departures this week, leaving half of xAI's original 12 cofounders.
- Former employees say the restructuring followed tensions over safety and a sense that xAI was stuck trying to catch up to competitors.
- Elon Musk announced a SpaceX merger and described plans for space-based AI data centers, an AI satellite factory, and a Moon city.
- Sources and the posted org chart show no active safety organization and report reduced human safety review for models.
- Some departing staff are launching new AI companies, and the SpaceX merger issued employees equity that could fund new ventures.