Elon Musk has joined the online backlash against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman following remarks about how computer memory should be allocated during the current RAM shortage.
In an interview with YouTuber Cheeky Pint, Altman said it was “terrible” from a global allocation perspective for individuals to keep large amounts of DRAM in their personal computers when it was used only a small percentage of the time. He argued that memory should be used more efficiently in data centers, particularly while supply remains constrained.
The comments drew widespread criticism online, especially from gamers and PC users. Many posts portrayed Altman’s position as an attack on personal ownership of computer memory, while others responded with jokes, memes and AI-generated videos.
Musk added to the reaction on X, the social media platform he owns, posting a meme featuring Colonel Hans Landa from Inglourious Basterds alongside the message: “The people deserve to have their RAM too!”
The dispute comes as demand for memory used in artificial intelligence has contributed to higher prices for graphics cards, consoles and other PC components. The article describes the situation as the “RAMpocalypse” and reports that Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo have raised console prices. Nvidia’s RTX 5080 also disappeared from its marketplace after the RTX 5090 was reportedly almost discontinued.
Microsoft reportedly expects its next-generation Xbox, codenamed Project Helix, to cost as much as $1,800. Sony has not yet announced its next-generation hardware, although analysts reportedly expect cost concerns to affect the timing of its launch.
Altman is also seeking up to $20 billion in a new funding round co-led by investors from the United Arab Emirates, according to CNBC, after previously targeting around $30 billion.
Musk’s criticism of Altman comes as his own AI business faces financial scrutiny. Responding to complaints that users were reaching Grok Bot limits earlier than expected, Musk said the service’s operating costs were “unsustainably high relative to revenue” and later described the decision as simply “being sensible.”
Grok Bot launched in beta in August, and its paid weekly active users were reportedly approaching 800,000 by late October. Because the agent performs autonomous tasks on virtual computers, it requires more computing resources than a basic chatbot, and some heavy users reportedly faced sudden lockouts or canceled their subscriptions.
Sources: IGN.