Elon Musk’s xAI Executes Monthly Game of Thrones, Spoiler Alert: Chaos Wins
KEY POINTS
- •SpaceX acquired xAI in February and immediately started reshuffling executives amid a rush to prepare for SpaceX's IPO.
- •Since January, eight xAI cofounders including Ross Nordeen and Manuel Kroiss have left, triggering a major reorganization effort led by Michael Nicholls.
- •xAI is under pressure to improve its 'embarrassingly low' AI training performance while integrating SpaceX engineering talent and cutting teams like recruiting and video tools.
In a move that can only be described as 'corporate musical chairs in zero gravity,' SpaceX's senior VP of Starlink Michael Nicholls just got promoted to xAI president amid another fresh reactionary reshuffle. Since February, after Musk's SpaceX acquired xAI, eight cofounders including Ross Nordeen and Grok Code lead Manuel Kroiss vanished like free Tesla stock options. The company’s AI training is 'embarrassingly low'—which sounds like my high school gym grades—sparking promises to 'catch up fast.' Meanwhile, ex-Facebook researcher Devendra Chaplot babysits pre-training, Aman Madaan manages 'model factories' (yes, these exist now), and infrastructure honchos juggle Bits-n-Bytes. Musk admits xAI 'wasn't built right the first time,' echoing his Tesla playbook of rebuilding mid-launch while firing half your team. Oh, and all this is prepping for a SpaceX IPO blockbuster potentially worth $2 trillion—because nothing says massive valuation like a startup that mass-fires cofounders and deploys engineers from other companies like Avengers reinforcements.
Share the Story
(1 of 3)Elon’s xAI is the startup equivalent of a sitcom canceling half its cast mid-season while courting a $2 trillion payday. Plot twist: Spoiler cofounders don’t get a cameo in the IPO.
xAI’s strategy: hire, fire, repeat until you land a $2 trillion deal or an Oscar for Best Corporate Drama.
Musk’s xAI reorganizes so often even their org chart needs a GPS. Maybe the AI can help find the lost cofounders.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 4/8/2026 | Author: Grace Kay
More Articles in Technology
Israel Promises To Self-Restrain—Like A Toddler Near The Cookie Jar
In-N-Out Declares War on Private Equity, Delivery Apps, and Speed Itself
Google Gemini Adds Notebooks Because Organizing AI Was Too Simple
Meta Engineers Race to Burn Tokens Faster Than Your Credit Card Bill
Microsoft Executive Quits After 34 Years—Still Probably Has More Job Security Than You
Phone Accessory Lets You Selfie With Rear Camera Without Neck Surgery
Thousands Celebrate When Wireless Earbuds Somehow Cost Less Than Lunch
