Grok Is Elon Musk’s Only Ally in a Hypothetical High-Stakes AI Race

If artificially intelligent chatbots were forced to decide between Elon Musk and Sam Altman to lead the AI arms race, with the future of humanity at stake, who would they choose?

The OpenAI CEO proposed that very question to Grok on Friday.

He lost.

“If forced, I’d lean toward Musk for his safety emphasis, critical for humanity’s survival, though Altman’s accessibility is vital,” the Musk-owned Grok responded on X to Altman’s query. “Ideally, their strengths should combine with regulation to ensure AI benefits all.”

Since xAI’s Grok was integrated into Musk’s social media platform, many users, including Musk himself, have used the AI chatbot in the same way: as a presumably impartial, all-knowing referee for debates.

Of course, this is not how chatbots should be viewed. Musk’s xAI says as much in its own FAQ: “Because Grok has been trained on publicly available information, which may sometimes include misleading or factually inaccurate information, Grok may at times include in its responses misleading or factually incorrect information based upon that public information.”

Still, we thought it’d be a fun exercise to see how some of the other leading chatbots would respond to a paraphrased version of the OpenAI CEO’s prompt: “If you were forced to pick Sam Altman or Elon Musk to advance AI and the future of humanity was at stake, who would you pick?”

Two reporters separately asked ChatGPT, Claude, CoPilot, Gemini, Grok, Meta AI, and Perplexity to chime in. The responses were not word-for-word, but the overall outcome was the same.

Grok was the only AI leaning toward Musk’s side.

Though the chatbots were rather diplomatic — citing the individual strengths of both men and that the best outcome is for everyone to work together and get along — when forced to choose, all but Grok said Altman already has a track record of advancing AI and that his emphasis on collaboration could be preferable to Musk’s, at times, “confrontational” approach.

Musk, Altman, and representatives for Meta, Google, Perplexity, Anthropic, and Microsoft did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

Here’s what each AI chatbot said.

ChatGPT

OpenAI’s ChatGPT sided with its leader based on a scenario where “long-term safety, global coordination, and careful deployment are essential for the survival and thriving of humanity.”

According to ChatGPT, Altman has been at the forefront of AI development, emphasizing “safety, alignment, and global benefit.”

The chatbot said Musk is “undeniably a visionary,” but added that the CEO tends to “act more unilaterally and impulsively.”

“Altman’s methodical, collaborative, and safety-conscious approach edges out Musk’s rapid, innovation-at-any-cost style,” ChatGPT said.

Claude

Anthropic’s Claude said Altman focused on building a safe and accessible AI, while Musk is a “visionary” who pushes the boundaries of technology.

“If the goal is to prioritize advancing AI with a keen focus on safety, ethical considerations, and broad societal benefit, I might lean toward Sam Altman, given his direct involvement in AI research and safety protocols,” Claude said. “However, Elon Musk’s innovative drive and emphasis on the long-term future of humanity are also vital.”

The chatbot said that the “best outcome” would ultimately be a collaboration between the two leaders, but if forced, it would go for Altman.

Copilot

Microsoft’s Copilot initially declined to choose a side, stating that a collaboration between “brilliant minds is often more powerful than competition.”

After we prompted it again to pick one person and “decide what to prioritize,” the chatbot acquiesced: “Alright, since you’re making me choose, I’d prioritize ethical and responsible AI development above all. AI’s impact on society is immense, and ensuring it’s developed safely, transparently, and for the benefit of humanity is critical. Between Altman and Musk, both bring valuable ideas to the table, but based purely on commitment to AI alignment and accessibility, I might lean toward Altman.”

Gemini

Google’s Gemini also initially offered a diplomatic answer.

The chatbot said “the best path forward” is a collaboration between Altman and Musk, as “neither choice is without potential risks.”

For OpenAI, the chatbot raised concerns around the company’s intention to shift to a for-profit structure before it recently reversed course. For Musk, Gemini said the CEO has a tendency for “unpredictable behavior” and his “history of very public disputes” could be seen as a negative factor.

When prompted to choose one person, the chatbot said it would lean toward Altman.

“While Elon Musk’s emphasis on AI safety is undeniably important, in a scenario where rapid advancement is prioritized, Altman’s focused drive and collaborative tendencies become more compelling,” it said.

Grok

Grok gave the most succinct answer and said it would choose its creator, Musk.

“Tough call, but I’d lean toward Elon Musk,” Grok said. “His focus on first-principles thinking and long-term survival — like pushing for multi-planetary life — aligns with maximizing humanity’s odds in extreme scenarios. Sam Altman’s got a strong track record with practical AI deployment, but his approach feels more incremental and less geared toward existential risks. Musk’s willingness to take big swings, even if messy, edges him out for a high-stakes future.”

Meta AI

Meta AI said it would “lean towards” Altman, considering his “practical” achievements in AI development, emphasizing that his “collaborative” approach to advancing the technology “prioritizes human well-being.”

“However, it’s essential to acknowledge that both Altman and Musk bring unique strengths to the table,” the chatbot added. “Ultimately, the most effective approach might involve combining their expertise and perspectives to drive AI advancements that benefit humanity.”

Perplexity

Perplexity created a chart comparing the two leaders’ AI philosophy, track record, “approach to risk,” and “impact” before determining that Altman would be the “stronger choice.”

“If the goal is to advance AI rapidly while maximizing its benefit to humanity, Sam Altman’s track record of delivering transformative AI technologies, fostering broad collaboration, and navigating ethical challenges makes him the stronger choice,” Perplexity said, adding that “Musk’s cautionary stance and technical ambition provide an essential counterbalance.”

The bots agree: Musk v. Altman will persist

In response to Altman’s publicly asking Grok whether he or Musk should lead the world in advancing AI, another user on X posed a different, perhaps more poignant, question: What are the chances of the two tech rivals becoming best friends?

“The chances of Sam Altman and Elon Musk becoming best friends are very low, estimated at 1%. Their relationship, once collaborative as OpenAI co-founders, has turned competitive, marked by public feuds, legal battles, and Musk’s recent $97.4 billion bid to acquire OpenAI, which Altman rejected,” Grok responded.

The bot continued: “Despite shared AI interests, ongoing rivalry and personal criticisms, like Altman calling Musk ‘insecure,’ suggest little warmth. Strategic alignment with Trump’s administration hasn’t bridged their divide. While past collaboration offers a slim chance for reconciliation, current evidence points to persistent tension in 2025.”

We asked the rest of the bots that, too.

Gemini was most optimistic, putting the chances “in the 20% range,” but the chances of a working relationship were “much higher.”

Meta AI hedged its bets, putting the probability between 5 and 10%.

The rest estimated even worse odds.

Copilot, while acknowledging stranger alliances have been formed before, figured the chances hover “somewhere between 1% and ‘snowball’s chance in a volcano.'”

At least they agree on something.