Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI has lost two of its co-founders in quick succession, with Tony Wu and Jimmy Ba both announcing their departures within a span of two days.
Their exits add to a growing list of senior leaders who have left the company since its founding in 2023, and come at a time when xAI is undergoing major structural changes following its recent merger with SpaceX and ahead of a potential initial public offering (IPO).
On Monday night, xAI co-founder Yuhuai “Tony” Wu confirmed he was leaving the company, mentioning he plans to pursue new opportunities. In a farewell message shared on social media, Wu wrote, “It’s time for my next chapter,” adding, “It is an era with full possibilities: a small team armed with AIs can move mountains and redefine what’s possible.”
Less than a day later, fellow co-founder Jimmy Ba also revealed he was stepping away. Ba, a highly respected AI researcher who played a key role in shaping xAI’s Grok model development, expressed appreciation for the experience. “Enormous thanks to @elonmusk for bringing us together on this incredible journey. So proud of what the xAI team has done and will continue to stay close as a friend of the team,” he wrote.
The leadership changes come during a critical period for xAI. Earlier this month, Musk merged the startup with SpaceX in a massive all-stock transaction that valued SpaceX at approximately $1 trillion and xAI at $250 billion. The merger is widely viewed as a step toward a future IPO that could value the company at as much as $1.5 trillion.
Despite the departures, leadership turnover is not uncommon in fast-moving AI startups, particularly as early founders move on to launch new ventures or capitalize on surging investor demand in the sector. With AI talent now among the most sought-after in technology, experienced researchers often have opportunities to pursue independent projects or leadership roles elsewhere.
