OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Demands Refund for Delayed Tesla Roadster

San Francisco, CA – OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is taking a stand against long delays in the delivery of the second-generation Tesla Roadster, demanding a refund for a pre-order he placed over seven years ago. In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Altman shared a screenshot of an email from July 2018 that confirmed his $45,000 deposit for the much-anticipated vehicle.

Accompanying that was a follow-up email sent earlier this week, in which Altman requested to cancel his order and asked for a $50,000 refund. However, the email bounced back, prompting Altman to express his frustration, stating, “I really was excited for the car! And I understand delays. But 7.5 years has felt like a long time to wait.”

The second-generation Roadster was unveiled by Tesla CEO Elon Musk in 2017, who claimed it would be “the fastest production car ever made, period.” Initial production was set to begin in 2020 but has faced continuous setbacks. During an earnings call in October 2024, Musk told investors that Tesla was still finalizing the design, but emphasized that the company’s focus is on achieving a “sustainable energy future.”

Musk thanked “long-suffering Tesla Roadster deposit holders” in the same call as he reassured them about the vehicle’s future. At present, neither Musk nor Tesla has responded to Altman’s request for a refund, leaving many speculating about the fate of the delayed Roadster.

Altman’s frustrations appear to be compounded by his ongoing disputes with Musk. The two co-founded OpenAI in 2015, but their relationship has soured since Musk left the board in 2018. In recent months, Musk has publicly criticized Altman’s management of OpenAI, leading to legal battles over the company’s direction.

In a September interview, Altman reflected on his changing perception of Musk, saying, “For a long time, I looked up to him as an incredible hero, a great jewel for humanity. I have different feelings now. There are things about him that are incredible, and I’m grateful for a lot of things he’s done. There’s a lot of things about him that I think are traits I don’t admire.”

As Altman continues to wait for his refund, OpenAI announced that it has completed a significant restructuring, which will see the nonprofit OpenAI Foundation oversee the new public benefit corporation, OpenAI Group PBC.