Musk jokes that Delta's spotty Wi-Fi makes it perfect AI testing ground

On X, Elon Musk suggested that the most effective way to sandbox an AI model is to run it on a Delta airline flight, implying the carrier's Wi-Fi is so limited it blocks internet access. His remark came after Delta announced it would not adopt SpaceX's Starlink service, opting instead for Amazon's Leo in-flight connectivity, which the airline says provides the fastest and most economical solution. Sources indicate Delta CEO Ed Bastian mentioned Musk as a reason for the Starlink rejection, and an X user claimed the airline risks losing travelers to United Airlines, which has equipped over 600 aircraft—about 36% of its fleet—with Starlink.

Musk responded, warning that Delta would lose many customers. Delta has projected a 2028 rollout of Leo on roughly half its planes and maintains that a Starlink partnership would have been permissible under existing agreements.