The 71-Minute Podcast that Cost an xAI Engineer his Job with Elon Musk

A single hour of conversation can sometimes alter the course of a career forever. For one xAI staff member, a brief appearance on a podcast resulted in an unexpected and immediate exit from Elon Musk's inner circle. This serves as a stark reminder of how quickly high-stakes roles can vanish in the world of big tech.

Last week, xAI engineer Sulaiman Ghori appeared on the 'Relentless' programme to describe life inside Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup, despite having worked there for less than a year. By the following week, his time with the firm had come to an end; while officially described as a departure, many believe he was let go for being far too candid about how the business functions.

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Cutting Corners in Memphis

What was it that Ghori actually disclosed during his time on 'Relentless'? It appears he hinted that xAI might be bypassing certain rules and obtaining questionable authorisations to construct data centres—notably the celebrated Colossus supercomputer located in Memphis, Tennessee.

The question remains: What did Ghori actually say on 'Relentless' to cause such a stir? During the talk, he pointed toward the idea that xAI might be cutting corners on regulations and permit requirements to build its data hubs—most notably the famous Colossus project in Memphis, Tennessee.

Discussing the project's speed, he explained that the land agreement was treated as a temporary measure to bypass delays. 'The lease for the land itself was actually technically temporary. It was the fastest way to get the permitting through and actually start building things,' he said.

He further noted that while the setup is currently short-term, he expects it to change eventually, adding, 'I assume that it'll be permanent at some point, but it's a very short-term lease at the moment, technically, for all the data centers. It's the fastest way to get things done.'

In explaining the process for these short-term agreements, Ghori said the firm worked with government authorities to obtain specific permits. He pointed out that these allow a business to 'modify this ground temporarily,' similar to the paperwork used for setting up travelling carnivals.

Environmental Backlash

The Colossus project had already faced its share of backlash. While xAI celebrates that construction took just 122 days, the facility relied on at least 35 methane gas turbines that were allegedly operating without the necessary paperwork.

Even the Environmental Protection Agency under Donald Trump's administration labelled these turbines illegal. By operating without the right permits, the machinery added to the heavy air pollution affecting people living in the area.

The Rise of Virtual Employees

Ghori didn't stop at legal concerns; he also offered a glimpse into how xAI operates behind the scenes. He explained that AI agents now handle a large portion of the workload. Highlighting a major internal shift, he noted: 'Right now, we're doing a big rebuild of our core production APIs.'

He explained that a single worker is currently overseeing a major overhaul of the company's main production systems, using 20 AI tools. 'Right now, we're doing a big rebuild of our core production APIs. It's being done by one person with like 20 agents,' he said.

While he praised their effectiveness by saying, 'they're very good, and they're capable of doing it, and it's working well,' he also admitted that this setup often causes mix-ups. He recalled: 'Multiple times I've gotten a ping saying, "Hey, this guy on the org chart reports to you. Is he not in today or something?" And it's an AI. It's a virtual employee.'

Ghori's comments regarding the heavy use of AI agents come at a particularly notable moment for the company. Earlier this month, tech reporter Kylie Robison disclosed that Anthropic, the developer of Claude, had cut off xAI's access to its models. xAI co-founder Tony Wu reportedly informed his staff that this change would cause 'a hit on productivity,' acknowledging that 'AI is now a critical technology for our own productivity.' In the meantime, he urged the team to experiment with 'all different kinds of models' to ensure their coding work stayed on track.

A Shrinking Inner Circle

Throughout the discussion, Ghori let slip several other facts about life at xAI. So far, Musk and his team have stayed silent on the matter, which is unusual for a group that typically pushes back against critics. Despite this silence, Ghori's time at the firm ended almost immediately after the broadcast. It was an unexpected exit, given that he had been praising the company and looking for new hires for his team just days before he left.

Adding to the uncertainty, another key figure departed xAI just 24 hours after Ghori. Co-founder Greg Yang stepped down to focus on his health after contracting Lyme disease. Although there is no known link between his exit and Ghori's, the timing highlights a growing trend. Dealing with Lyme disease is a brutal experience, but regardless of the reason, xAI is losing its most important talent at a rapid pace.

This latest departure follows the loss of co-founders Igor Babuschkin and Christian Szegedy, who Bloomberg noted left the business last year. With the team shrinking so quickly, Musk may soon have to put a robot in charge. Given the mounting legal headaches—from questionable construction permits to the recent scandal involving Grok's image tools—it wouldn't be a surprise if no one wants to take on the challenge ahead.