Two co-founders of xAI, Tony Wu and Jimmy Ba, have stepped down from the artificial intelligence startup they launched with billionaire Elon Musk less than three years ago, according to statements shared on social media.
Their departures mark the latest phase in a broader leadership exodus at xAI, leaving the company with only half of its original 12 co-founders still in place. The wave of resignations has raised fresh questions about internal stability as the firm competes in the fast-moving AI sector.
A report by the Financial Times indicated that Ba’s resignation followed internal tensions within the technical team. The disagreements reportedly centered on pressure to significantly enhance the company’s AI model performance, as Musk seeks to narrow the gap with competitors such as OpenAI and Anthropic.
Ba did not respond to requests for comment regarding the report through direct messages on X. In their public posts, both Ba and Wu refrained from outlining specific reasons for their resignations or revealing future plans, though they expressed gratitude toward Musk.
The leadership changes come shortly after SpaceX announced plans to acquire xAI as part of a broader strategy to form a company valued at approximately $1.25 trillion. The combined entity is reportedly preparing for a potential public listing later this year, a move aimed at supporting Musk’s long-term vision of deploying data centers in space.
