Tesla CEO Elon Musk reportedly gave a Cybertruck to an xAI employee who met a tight deadline for a GPU training run. The promise came during a high-stakes bet to accelerate AI development. Sulaiman Ghori shared the story in a recent YouTube interview.
In a YouTube interview published on Thursday, Sulaiman Ghori, a member of the technical staff at Elon Musk's AI startup xAI, recounted how Musk motivated his team with an unusual incentive. Musk promised an employee a free Cybertruck if they could launch a training run on GPUs within 24 hours. The team succeeded that very night, and the employee received the stainless-steel electric pickup truck.
Ghori did not specify which version of the Cybertruck was awarded, though the base model starts at about $79,990 in the U.S., while the high-end Cyberbeast variant begins at $114,990. This anecdote highlights Musk's hands-on approach to pushing xAI's progress in artificial intelligence.
The Cybertruck, unveiled by Tesla in 2019, began deliveries in November 2023 after significant delays. Musk had originally projected pricing starting at $40,000 for the entry-level model and $70,000 for the premium version, but actual prices are higher, contributing to softer demand than anticipated. Tesla's premium lineup, including the Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck, sold 85,133 units in 2024, with Cybertruck estimates below 30,000.
Musk once forecasted annual Cybertruck sales of up to 500,000 units. Factors like development delays, the vehicle's polarizing angular design and stainless-steel exterior, and broader economic pressures—including the end of certain EV tax credits—have tempered enthusiasm. Meanwhile, Musk's SpaceX has reportedly purchased over 1,000 Cybertrucks, with potential to increase to 2,000.
A tweet from Sawyer Merritt echoed Ghori's account: "Elon's like 'you can get a Cybertruck tonight if you can get a training run on these GPUs within 24 hours.' We were training that night. He got the Cybertruck." This lighthearted bet underscores the intense pace at Musk's companies amid competitive AI advancements.
