"No, thank you but..." Sam Altman rejects Elon Musk's $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI

The rivalry between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Tesla CEO Elon Musk just got more intense. Musk, along with a group of investors, made a massive $97.4 billion bid to buy OpenAI’s non-profit arm, aiming to restore its original mission. However, Altman wasted no time in rejecting the offer in his signature style.

Responding on X (formerly Twitter), Altman quipped, “No thank you, but we will buy Twitter for $9.74 billion if you want.”

Musk’s Offer and Altman’s Response

Musk, who bought X (then Twitter) for $44 billion in 2022, responded to Altman’s remark with a single word: “Swindler.”

According to a Wall Street Journal report, Musk spearheaded an effort to take control of OpenAI, submitting the bid through his attorney, Marc Toberoff. The goal? To revert OpenAI back to its original nonprofit vision and focus on AI research for the public good.

A Long-Running Feud

The feud between Musk and Altman dates back to OpenAI’s early days. Musk was one of OpenAI’s co-founders in 2015, but he stepped down from the board in 2018. Since then, he has been vocal about his disappointment with OpenAI’s shift toward a for-profit model.

Last year, Musk sued OpenAI in California, accusing the company of betraying its nonprofit mission and prioritizing financial gains over ethical AI development.

OpenAI, once a research lab focused on AI safety, skyrocketed to global fame after launching ChatGPT in late 2022. The chatbot’s success not only generated billions in revenue but also intensified internal power struggles. In 2023, OpenAI’s board fired Altman, only for him to return within days, backed by a new board.

What’s Next?

With Altman firmly rejecting Musk’s offer and tensions running high, the AI battle between these two tech giants is far from over. Will Musk make another move, or will OpenAI continue its for-profit trajectory under Altman? The tech world is watching closely.