Elon Musk and Sam Altman can't stop bickering. The spats could actually be good for their brand.

"The weekend's quarrel on X between Sam Altman and Elon Musk - Altman insisting Tesla owed him a refund, and Musk slamming the OpenAI chief's leadership - is the latest example of just how comfortable some high-powered CEOs have become with beefing in public. Many leaders have historically tried to keep fights behind closed doors to avoid distractions and damage to an organization's reputation, said Kevin Donahue, a 30-year veteran of crisis comms. "This is really a sharp departure from that norm," he told Business Insider."

"The shift might have an upside for leaders in certain competitive fields. There are times when being perceived as having sharp elbows could pay off, research suggests. A recent study from Columbia Business School found that people who see the world as ruthless and cutthroat tend to admire aggressive leaders. Those who see it as fair and cooperative, however, often view the same behavior as reckless or unfit."

"Corporate observers see some other potential wins for Altman and Musk in arguing openly. A pugilistic approach helps keep both parties' companies in the public eye and underscores the idea that "I won't be outdone by the other guy," Americus Reed, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, told Business Insider."

Sam Altman and Elon Musk engaged in a public quarrel on X, with Altman claiming Tesla owed him a refund and Musk criticizing Altman's leadership. Historically, leaders avoided public fights to prevent distractions and reputational harm. Research indicates that aggressive, public leadership can be advantageous in competitive, cutthroat settings because observers who view the world as ruthless may admire sharp-elbowed leaders. A Columbia Business School study and a Nagoya University report found that endorsement of aggressive leaders increases in competitive contexts but declines in cooperative ones. Public spats can keep companies in the public eye and signal unwillingness to be outdone, potentially serving as strategic power moves.

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