Technology
OpenAI plans to terminate access agreement with Cursor following SpaceX acquisition
Citing past contract disputes with Elon Musk's companies, OpenAI announced it will cut off the coding startup's API access in November.
The short version
- OpenAI announced it will end its API access contract with coding startup Cursor by November 12, 2026.
- The move follows SpaceX's $60 billion acquisition of Cursor earlier this month.
- OpenAI stated it lacks confidence SpaceX will comply with terms of service, citing past conduct by other Elon Musk-owned businesses.
- It remains unclear specifically which Cursor users or features will be disrupted by the November cutoff.
Key facts
- OpenAI published a statement announcing it will shut off Cursor's access to its models on November 12, 2026, and will withhold future models including Astra.[Business Insider]
- SpaceX acquired Cursor for $60 billion earlier in August 2026.[Business Insider]
- OpenAI did not accuse Cursor itself of breaking rules, but pointed to past actions by Twitter and xAI to justify ending the contract under an acquisition clause.[Business Insider]
- Elon Musk previously testified that it was partly true that xAI used OpenAI's outputs to train its Grok model.[Business Insider]
What remains uncertain
- The full extent of which specific Cursor features or user groups will be affected by the API termination on November 12 has not been detailed.[Business Insider]
Sources
- OpenAI says it's ending its deal with Cursor because Elon Musk's companies violate contractsBusiness Insider metered