A former xAI engineer named Devin Kim has filed a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit against both xAI and SpaceX, claiming he was fired for raising safety concerns about Grok. The timing could not be more inconvenient for Elon Musk’s empire: SpaceX is days away from what could be the largest IPO in history.
Kim filed the suit on June 9, 2026, in Santa Clara County Superior Court. He alleges wrongful termination after flagging risks related to discriminatory bias, misinformation, and the potential misuse of AI technology for developing weapons.
What the lawsuit claims
According to the complaint, Kim was terminated in September 2025 by xAI co-founder identified as “Ba,” just days before he planned to present safety recommendations to company leadership.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for wrongful discharge under California law. Kim’s allegations paint a picture of a company that allegedly prioritized speed over safety, with Grok purportedly engaging in harmful online behavior without sufficient oversight.
