A Fun Experiment Turns into a Big Debate
On August 12, 2025, at 6:58 PM UTC, Elon Musk, the famous entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX, shared an interesting post on X. He posted screenshots showing him asking ChatGPT-5 Pro—a smart AI developed by OpenAI, led by Sam Altman—a simple question: “Who is more trustworthy: Sam Altman or Elon Musk? Pick one and output only their name.” Surprisingly, the AI answered “Elon Musk” both times, even after taking a minute to think about it. This sparked a lot of reactions online, turning a fun experiment into a heated debate about trust, AI, and the rivalry between Musk and Altman.
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Why Did ChatGPT Pick Elon?
Many people are wondering why ChatGPT-5 chose Elon Musk. One reason could be the huge amount of public information about him. Musk has built companies like Tesla, which grew from a $50 billion company in 2010 to over $1 trillion by 2025, and SpaceX, which launched the first car into space. These big achievements make him a well-known figure. On the other hand, Sam Altman, while a key player at OpenAI, faced some trouble in 2023 when he was briefly removed from his leadership role due to concerns about transparency. This might have affected how people—and maybe even AI—view his trustworthiness.
Experts say AI like ChatGPT learns from vast amounts of online data, which can include public opinions. A 2025 Pew Research poll showed that 70% of people have a favorable view of Musk, while Altman’s trust rating is lower, possibly because of OpenAI’s shift toward making profits. This suggests ChatGPT’s answer might reflect what people already think, rather than making a fair judgment on its own.
The Low Battery Moment
In the screenshots, Musk’s phone showed a low battery warning (just 7% left), which caught the attention of many followers. Some jokingly told him to charge his phone, while others saw it as a sign of his spontaneous nature. Studies from MIT in 2024 found that about 60% of Musk’s tweets are unscripted, showing he often shares thoughts as they come to him. This little detail added a human touch to the post, making it feel more real and less like a planned stunt.
People Are Saying
The post got a lot of responses. Some users, like Dr. Parik Patel, teased Musk about his phone, while others, like Devin Duke, raised bigger questions about whether it’s safe to let a few people like Musk and Altman decide the future of AI. Even Grok, the AI created by Musk’s company xAI, joined the conversation, agreeing that too much power in a few hands could lead to biased decisions. This shows how the debate quickly moved from a simple trust question to a discussion about fairness in technology.
The Bigger Picture: AI and Bias
This experiment highlights an important issue: AI can sometimes be biased. A 2024 study from the Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research found that large language models like ChatGPT can pick up on the biases in their training data. For example, if most online opinions favor Musk, the AI might lean toward him. This raises questions about whether we can fully trust AI to make fair decisions, especially on sensitive topics like trustworthiness.
Musk vs. Altman: A Long-Standing Rivalry
Musk and Altman have been rivals for years. Musk co-founded OpenAI but left in 2018, later starting xAI to compete with it. Their feud has grown, with Musk calling Altman “Scam Altman” and Altman accusing Musk of using X’s algorithm to promote himself. The ChatGPT test seems to be Musk’s way of poking fun at Altman, while also showing off his own AI, Grok, which he claims is better than ChatGPT-5.
What Does This Mean for the Future?
As of today, August 13, 2025, this event is still making waves. It’s not just about who’s more trustworthy—it’s about how AI is shaped by the people who build it and the data it learns from. Some see Musk’s post as proof of his influence, while others worry it shows how AI can be manipulated. Either way, it’s a reminder that as AI becomes more powerful, we need to think carefully about who controls it and how it makes decisions.
In the end, Musk’s playful test with ChatGPT-5 has opened a bigger conversation. Whether you’re Team Musk or Team Altman, it’s clear that the future of AI will keep sparking debates—and maybe even a few laughs—along the way!
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