“I’ll say what I need, and if the consequence of that’s dropping cash, so be it.”

This has been a standard chorus for Musk, that regardless of paying $44 billion for the app, he’s not really involved in regards to the monetary facet, and that he received’t permit this ingredient to affect his decision-making on the app.

Which, in some methods, is an admirable stance, underlining his acknowledged dedication to free speech, and permitting individuals to say what they like within the app. However then again, Musk has fairness companions and traders who could also be much less impressed with this method.

This has been highlighted once more right now, with Twitter sending a letter to Microsoft which accuses Microsoft of misusing Twitter information to coach its synthetic intelligence applied sciences.

As per The New York Instances:

“Within the letter, which was reviewed by The New York Instances, Twitter mentioned Microsoft had violated an settlement over its information and had declined to pay for that utilization. In some circumstances, the letter mentioned, Microsoft had used extra Twitter information than it was purported to. Microsoft additionally shared the Twitter information with authorities businesses with out permission, the letter mentioned.”

The letter is the most recent in Musk’s quest for retaliation in opposition to OpenAI, the corporate behind ChatGPT, and varied different generative AI instruments.

Musk, who was an early investor in OpenAI, has repeatedly expressed his annoyance that his early $100 million ‘donation’ to the corporate has been used to remodel it right into a $29 billion enterprise. And with Microsoft taking a big stake in OpenAI, it too now stands to profit – and as such, Musk now needs to claw again his share of that income consumption.

With this in thoughts, Musk has already restricted OpenAI’s entry to Twitter information, which has been used to gas its generative AI fashions, whereas additionally rising how a lot it prices for all firms to entry the identical. This newest push stems from Musk’s view that OpenAI benefited from Twitter information, which, once more, he sees as successfully stealing from him personally.

Musk’s public battle in opposition to OpenAI and Microsoft has already seen Microsoft take away Twitter from its Digital Advertising Heart ingredient, which can eradicate the promotion of Twitter advertisements to Microsoft companions. It’s arduous to say what sort of affect that’ll have on Twitter’s backside line, however with Twitter’s advert income – it’s major supply of earnings – already down by 50% since Musk took over, an extra decline of any variety could possibly be thought of vital.

However as Musk says, the cash just isn’t his major concern. And whereas a public battle with a big advert companion just isn’t an amazing look, Elon, as he’s proven, goes to do what he likes, whatever the penalties.

That features making choices based mostly on private grudges, which might affect all of Twitter’s companions.

It’ll be fascinating to see how this method modifications, or not, underneath incoming Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino, an advert trade veteran, who’ll be tasked with reigniting its enterprise relationships.

Will that see Twitter re-evaluate its method, or will Musk proceed to override Yaccarino in circumstances the place he has a private stake?