Elon Musk has publicly challenged the credibility of the $500 billion Stargate artificial intelligence infrastructure project announced by President Donald Trump, creating tension with OpenAI chief executive officer Sam Altman.

Hours after the White House press conference, Musk wrote on X that the project lacks financial backing. "They don't actually have the money," he claimed, asserting that "SoftBank has well under $10 billion secured."

The Stargate project, involving OpenAI, Oracle, SoftBank, and MGX, plans to deploy an initial $100 billion in investment for developing AI data centres. Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison indicated the project could expand to involve up to 20 data centre buildings.

Altman responded to Musk's criticism, first praising him as "the most inspiring entrepreneur of our time" before adding a more pointed rejoinder. "I realise what is great for the country isn't always what's optimal for your companies," Altman wrote, "but in your new role I hope you'll mostly put [America] first."

The dispute stems from a longstanding feud between Musk and Altman, who previously collaborated at OpenAI before Musk's departure. Musk has since launched multiple lawsuits against the organisation, alleging it has abandoned its original nonprofit research mission.

Microsoft chief executive officer Satya Nadella remained notably diplomatic, stating during a CNBC interview: "All I know is, I'm good for my $80billion," referencing Microsoft's own AI infrastructure investment.

Trump presented the Stargate project as a significant economic initiative, suggesting it would create 100,000 jobs and position the United States at the forefront of technological development. The president indicated he would use "emergency declarations" to expedite the project's electricity requirements.

The first Stargate data centre is currently under construction in Abilene, Texas. Abilene's mayor, Weldon Hurt, expressed excitement about the project, noting the region's substantial energy infrastructure.

Share prices of involved companies responded positively to the announcement, with SoftBank shares jumping more than 10 per cent, Oracle rising 6.8 per cent, and technology partners like Arm, Nvidia, and Microsoft seeing significant gains.

In a separate development related to Musk and other US tech giants, the National Football League (NFL) has instructed the New England Patriots to shut down their Bluesky social media account. The team's vice president of content, Fred Kirsch, revealed that Bluesky is "not an approved social media platform for the NFL yet" in spite of the ongoing mass exodus away from the conservative aligned social media platforms

The league maintains content partnerships with X and Meta-owned platforms, leaving Bluesky out of its current social media strategy. Despite Bluesky's rapid growth to nearly 29 million users, the NFL remains committed to its existing platform relationships.

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