PARIS, France — The battle over the future of artificial intelligence has intensified as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman publicly dismissed Elon Musk’s $97.4 billion bid to acquire the ChatGPT maker, accusing the Tesla and x.AI founder of attempting to hinder OpenAI’s progress rather than genuinely competing in the AI race.
Speaking at the Paris AI Action Summit on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, Altman said he had no interest in selling OpenAI, despite the staggering offer Musk and his investment group put forward.
“Elon tries all sorts of things for a long time. This is the latest—you know, this week’s episode,” Altman said in an interview with Bloomberg TV.
“I think he’s probably just trying to slow us down.”
Musk’s Offer and OpenAI’s Response
Musk’s offer, announced Monday, presents a direct challenge to OpenAI’s board, which now faces pressure to evaluate the bid despite deep-seated tensions between the billionaire and the company’s leadership.
Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI who left in 2018, has since become one of its most vocal critics, accusing the company of betraying its original nonprofit mission by pursuing profit-driven AI development.
Altman, who has spearheaded OpenAI’s rapid rise to a valuation of around $100 billion, dismissed Musk’s allegations and suggested the SpaceX CEO is acting out of resentment.
“I wish he would just compete by building a better product, but I think there’s been a lot of tactics,” Altman said.
“Many, many lawsuits, all sorts of other crazy stuff, now this. And we’ll try to just put our head down and keep working.”
Asked whether Musk’s actions stemmed from insecurity, Altman did not hesitate.
“Probably his whole life is from a position of insecurity. I feel for the guy,” he said. “I don’t think he’s, like, a happy person. I do feel for him.”
Representatives for Musk and X did not respond to requests for comment.
A Longstanding Rivalry
Musk’s feud with OpenAI has been brewing for years, culminating in multiple lawsuits and public spats.
In 2024, Musk sued OpenAI, alleging it had abandoned its nonprofit principles in favor of maximizing profits.
However, OpenAI countered by publishing internal emails showing Musk himself had acknowledged the need for significant funding to power the company’s AI ambitions.
Musk withdrew that initial lawsuit, only to file a new one in August, accusing OpenAI of developing artificial general intelligence (AGI) solely for profit and engaging in racketeering.
OpenAI, in turn, argued that Musk’s grievances stemmed from frustration over losing influence after his failed attempt to convince OpenAI’s leadership to sell the company to Tesla in 2018.
Despite Musk’s persistent legal challenges, Altman reiterated that OpenAI remains committed to its mission and denied allegations that it is shifting toward a fully profit-driven model.
“We’re not moving to a for-profit model,” Altman said.
“I mean, we’re not sure we’re gonna do it all. But no matter what, the nonprofit will continue to be extremely important; it will drive the mission and will continue to exist.”
Implications of Musk’s Offer
Musk’s bid to acquire OpenAI poses a strategic challenge for Altman and the board, as it may complicate OpenAI’s efforts to restructure its for-profit entity while maintaining its nonprofit oversight.
Because OpenAI is operated by a nonprofit controlling entity, it is not legally required to maximize shareholder value.
This means the board could reject Musk’s offer on the grounds that his leadership would compromise the company’s AI safety principles.
However, by placing a $97.4 billion valuation on OpenAI, Musk has set a new benchmark that could influence future investment negotiations.
If OpenAI proceeds with spinning off its for-profit arm, it may now have to justify why it is not accepting an offer that arguably values the company at its highest potential.
Altman, however, remains focused on OpenAI’s mission rather than the financial tug-of-war unfolding around it.
“I try to just wake up and think about how we’re going to make our technology better,” he said.
As the power struggle between two of the most influential figures in AI continues, the stakes for OpenAI—and the future of artificial intelligence—have never been higher.
