Elon Musk Wants to Buy OpenAI—and Gets Laughed At
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Some celebrate Elon Musk as a genius, others as a skilled strategist and businessman. However, many view him differently after his controversial political statements and endorsements of right-wing figures and parties around the world. Now, the man behind X, Tesla, and SpaceX is seeking even greater influence—this time, by attempting to acquire an old acquaintance: OpenAI.
Musk’s Bid for OpenAI
According to media reports, the tech billionaire, along with other investors, wants to buy OpenAI. His consortium reportedly offered nearly $100 billion for the AI company. While this might seem like an astronomical sum to the average person, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman sees it differently. As Altman posted on X, the $97 billion offer is just one-third of the company's current valuation.
Musk’s Offer Met with Mockery
Musk’s bid was quickly met with a sarcastic response. "No thanks, but we'll buy Twitter for $9.74 billion if you want," Altman quipped on X—a reference to one-third of Twitter’s estimated value. According to TechCrunch, citing the Financial Times, OpenAI was valued at $157 billion in its last funding round in October.
no thank you but we will buy twitter for $9.74 billion if you want
— Sam Altman (@sama) February 10, 2025
The Feud Behind the Move
Musk and Altman have a long-standing rivalry. Musk was an early supporter of OpenAI, contributing $50 million in seed funding, but left in 2018, before OpenAI's breakthrough with ChatGPT. His departure was far from amicable.
A major point of contention is OpenAI's transformation. Founded in 2015 as a nonprofit dedicated to AI research, OpenAI changed direction in 2019 with the creation of OpenAI LP, a for-profit subsidiary. This shift led to proprietary AI developments, moving away from the organization's original open-source approach—a move Musk has strongly criticized as anti-competitive.
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Musk has been pursuing legal action against OpenAI since last year, aiming to halt its shift toward a profit-driven model. "It's time for OpenAI to return to being an open-source force focused on safety. We're going to make sure that happens," the Wall Street Journal quoted Musk as saying.
Is a Takeover Likely?
Since leaving OpenAI, Musk has launched his own AI company, xAI. If he were to acquire OpenAI, speculation suggests the two companies could merge. However, at this stage, a takeover appears unlikely—largely due to Microsoft's substantial investment.
Microsoft holds a 49% stake in OpenAI LP—having invested billions. Given its vested interest, the tech giant would likely block any acquisition attempt from Musk.
For now, Musk’s bid for OpenAI seems more like a statement than a serious possibility.
