Sam Altman shuts down Elon Musk’s OpenAI offer: ‘I have nothing to say, it’s ridiculous’

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has dismissed Elon Musk’s offer to buy the nonprofit that controls OpenAI, calling it “ridiculous” and reaffirming that the company is not for sale.

Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of an AI summit in Paris, Altman responded bluntly when asked about Musk’s reported $97.4 billion bid.

“I have nothing to say. I mean, it’s ridiculous,” he said. He further claimed that Musk’s move was just another attempt to disrupt OpenAI, adding,

“The company is not for sale. It’s another one of his tactics to try to mess with us.”

Musk, who co-founded OpenAI with Altman in 2015 as a nonprofit, later parted ways with the company before its rise to prominence.

In 2023, he launched his own AI venture, xAI. The billionaire’s latest bid is seen as part of his broader efforts to challenge OpenAI’s shift toward a for-profit structure.

During his speech at the AI summit, Altman was again asked whether OpenAI was up for sale, to which he simply responded, “No, we are not for sale.”

Musk, the CEO of Tesla and owner of social media platform X, has frequently criticized OpenAI’s direction and leadership.

His latest bid signals continued tensions between him and Altman as competition in the AI space heats up.