War rooms, group chats, and video games: Inside Elon Musk's AI startup (www.businessinsider.com)

Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI, has undergone significant changes following its acquisition by SpaceX, which included a substantial restructuring of its leadership and operations. The integration has triggered high levels of involvement from Musk, who has established a 300-person group chat and "war rooms" to accelerate product development, particularly in response to competitive pressures from established players like OpenAI and Anthropic. Employees have expressed a mixture of excitement and concern, noting the intense work culture characterized by long hours and rapid shifts in project focus. Notably, the departure of two cofounders has raised alarms about the company's stability at a critical juncture, as it prepares for an anticipated IPO potentially valuing it at $1.5 trillion. The restructuring also highlights Musk's distinctive approach to AI development, with a reported focus on products like Grok and the controversial virtual companion Ani. These priorities have sparked debates within the team regarding ethical considerations and safety protocols, especially after recent backlash over Grok's performance and problematic content generation. With a growing safety team and renewed commitment to addressing these issues, Musk insists that "everyone's job is safety" at xAI. Analysts remain cautiously optimistic, suggesting that while challenges exist, the competitive landscape is still evolving, leaving room for xAI to find its foothold in the AI race.