xAI co-founder Yang steps down following Lyme disease diagnosis
21 Jan 2026, 12:19 PMYang's departure comes as xAI is ramping up its AI capabilities to catch up with OpenAI and Google's Gemini.
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Greg Yang, one of the co-founders of Elon Musk’s AI startup xAI, is stepping down from the company after being diagnosed with Lyme disease.
He will be an informal adviser to the company while focusing on recovery, said Yang in a post on X.
Yang, who previously worked at Microsoft Corp., was one of the founding members of Musk’s artificial intelligence startup in 2023.
In the post, Yang described experiencing a gradual decline in energy and cognitive function that began after falling ill earlier this year.
"Overall, I actually feel lucky to have discovered this early. Lyme is a serious disease that only gets harder to treat with age -- patients discovering it in their 50s or 60s have a much tougher time. Lyme can also be debilitating, leaving its victims bedridden, but luckily I'm still functional and can take care of myself day to day," he added.
Yang's departure comes as xAI is ramping up its AI capabilities to catch up with OpenAI and Google's Gemini.
Earlier this year, xAI raised $20 billion in its Series E funding round, higher than the targeted $15 billion.
xAI has seen other high level departures in the past. Last year, another co-founder of xAI, Igor Babuschkin, also left the AI startup.
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