Elon Musk Faces Executive Exodus Across Tesla xAI Amid Leadership Strains

Elon Musk's companies, including Tesla and xAI, are experiencing a significant wave of senior executive departures driven by burnout, intense work demands, strategic shifts, and his outspoken political activism aligned with MAGA causes. Employees cite Musk's relentless "Tesla time" culture, rapid decision-making, and controversial far-right views as factors negatively impacting morale and retention. The ongoing rivalry and legal battles between Musk's xAI and OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, have exacerbated tensions, with Musk accusing OpenAI of poaching talent and misappropriating trade secrets. Many executives have left due to disagreements with Musk's pivot towards AI and robot-focused strategies, as well as discomfort with his political stances, including issues around transgender rights. Some departures are marked by high-profile exits, such as xAI's CFO leaving after just over three months, who later joined OpenAI. Overall, Musk's demanding leadership style and the polarizing nature of his politics are creating recruitment and retention challenges across his business empire.