Finance
Two co-founders of Elon Musk's xAI resign, joining exodus
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 11, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 11, 2026
Quick Summary
xAI co-founders Tony Wu and Jimmy Ba have resigned, marking a significant shift as SpaceX plans a major acquisition to enhance AI capabilities.
xAI Co-Founders Tony Wu and Jimmy Ba Depart Amid Company Exodus
Resignation of xAI Co-Founders
Feb 10 (Reuters) - xAI co-founders Tony Wu and Jimmy Ba have resigned from the artificial intelligence firm they started with billionaire Elon Musk less than three years ago, they said in social media posts.
Reasons Behind the Resignation
The exits are the latest in an exodus from xAI that leaves the firm with half of its 12 co-founders.
Future of xAI and SpaceX Acquisition
The Financial Times reported that Ba's resignation followed tensions within its technical team over demands to improve its AI model performance as Musk pushes to catch up to rivals such as OpenAI and Anthropic.
Ba did not immediately respond to a request for comment via X messaging on the FT report.
Ba and Wu did not say in their posts on X why they were resigning or detail their next plans, but thanked Musk.
The latest changes at xAI come days after Musk's SpaceX said it will purchase xAI to create a $1.25 trillion company with plans to go public later this year to help finance the billionaire's ambitions to put data centers in space.
(Reporting by Natalia Bueno Rebolledo and Chris Thomas in Mexico City; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair)
Key Takeaways
- •Tony Wu and Jimmy Ba resign from xAI.
- •Half of xAI's co-founders have now left.
- •Resignations linked to internal tensions over AI performance.
- •SpaceX plans to acquire xAI for $1.25 trillion.
- •Acquisition aims to finance space data centers.
Frequently Asked Questions about Two co-founders of Elon Musk's xAI resign, joining exodus
1What is artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines programmed to think and learn like humans. AI can perform tasks such as speech recognition, decision-making, and problem-solving.
2What is a co-founder?
A co-founder is an individual who is involved in the establishment of a company or organization, sharing the responsibilities and risks of starting the business with one or more partners.
3What is a technology firm?
A technology firm is a company that specializes in the development and distribution of technological products or services, often focusing on innovation and advancements in technology.
