In an interview with Indian media, OpenAI CEO Altman frankly stated that putting the data center on orbit today is "absurd".
According to the leader of OpenAI, the cost of launching devices into space is still too high, while hardware maintenance, especially damaged GPUs, is almost impossible to perform effectively outside Earth.
These logistical barriers make it difficult for the outer space data center model to develop in the near future.
This view is contrary to Musk's vision, who has repeatedly mentioned the possibility of bringing AI computing activities out of Earth, taking advantage of satellites and solar energy in space.
Mr. Musk, who is also behind SpaceX, believes that this could be a long-term solution to address energy resource constraints on Earth as AI demand explodes.
The ideological confrontation between the two technology leaders partly stems from common history. Musk was co-founder of OpenAI in 2015 with Altman and many colleagues, when the organization operated under a non-profit model with the goal of developing AI for the common good.
However, Musk left the company in 2018, believed to be due to a conflict of interest with Tesla. After that, OpenAI switched to a limited profit model and received a large investment from Microsoft, which Musk publicly criticized many times. In 2023, he founded an AI company competing with xAI with the Grok model.
Despite fierce debate, both agree that the demand for computing power for AI is increasing rapidly and becoming the biggest bottleneck of the industry.
Mr. Altman predicts the future where billions of people can access huge computing capabilities, while emphasizing that building this infrastructure could be the most expensive and complex project that humanity has ever implemented.
The biggest pressure currently lies in energy. AI data centers consume huge amounts of electricity and demand is forecast to continue to increase sharply in the next few years.
Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar still depend on the weather and require large storage systems, while building a new nuclear power plant may take many years.
Therefore, some technology companies and startups have researched orbital data centers, where solar energy can be exploited continuously without interruption day and night.
Proponents argue that this model could reduce pressure on the Earth's power grid, save cooling water and reduce long-term energy costs. However, the idea also raises many questions about legal regulations, safety and implementation costs.
Besides disagreements, Altman still praised Musk when asked about what he admired about his opponent. OpenAI CEO said that Musk has excellent technical and physics capabilities and the ability to organize teams to complete complex projects on a large scale, which has been proven through the billionaire's companies.
