Yeah I can't help but think he is starting to more closely fit the definition for mercenary.

For example, I'm on a mission to build a better code editor for the world. That's cost me 4 years of my life and several hundred thousand dollars.

He wanted one, so he bought it for 3 billion. I think he's doomed to fail there for pretty much the exact reasons he states here...

The word "beat" and "mercenaries" are also quite important here -- to me, this is Altman's way of saying "you losers who left OpenAI, you will pay a steep price, because we will mess with you really deeply". The threat to Meta is just a natural consequence of that, to the extent that Meta clings onto said individuals.

Or the one who's sister filed a suit against him for sexual abuse?

"missionary" pfff...