xAI has made a strong move in financial management by appointing Anthony Armstrong, a longtime senior executive at Morgan Stanley, as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). According to the Financial Times, Armstrong had been collaborating with xAI for several weeks before officially stepping into the role.
Armstrong’s responsibilities extend beyond xAI itself — he will also oversee the financial operations of X. This is not his first collaboration with Elon Musk; Armstrong previously advised Musk during the acquisition of X.
His main goal at X will be to stabilize the company’s financial position, which has been affected by advertisers pulling back following Musk’s relaxation of content moderation policies.
Armstrong replaces Mike Liberatore, who left xAI due to internal disagreements over structural changes and aggressive financial targets.
This appointment is part of a broader wave of executive reshuffles across Musk’s companies. Earlier in the summer of 2025, both xAI’s former CFO Liberatore and Chief Legal Counsel Robert Keele, as well as X’s financial head Mahmoud Reza Banki, departed their roles.
Elon Musk founded xAI in 2023 with the goal of challenging major AI firms, criticizing them for “excessive censorship” and flaws in safety standards, and aiming to establish leadership in the field.
Currently, reports suggest that xAI is in talks with investors for a new funding round that could value the company at around $200 billion. Armstrong’s expertise is expected to play a crucial role in achieving these ambitious financial goals.
