Elon Musk Plans to Buy OpenAI Worth US$97,4 Billion

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Elon Musk, technology billionaire and founder of SpaceX and Tesla, has once again caught the world’s attention after making a US$97.4 billion acquisition bid to buy OpenAI, the company behind the development of ChatGPT. The bid was submitted through a consortium led by Musk on Monday, February 10, 2025, as reported by Reuters.

This move has further heated up the tension between Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, which has been going on for quite some time. The two have different views on the future direction of the company, especially regarding OpenAI’s vision and mission in the development of artificial intelligence (AI).

Sam Altman rejects Musk’s offer with sarcasm

Musk’s offer was immediately responded to sarcastically by Sam Altman via the X platform (formerly known as Twitter).

Altman wrote, “No, thank you, but we will buy the Twitter platform for US$9.74 billion if you want to.” The irony is as if to remind Musk of his decision to buy Twitter for US$44 billion in 2022, which is now estimated to be worth much less.

Musk was actually one of the founders of OpenAI with Altman in 2015. However, he chose to leave the company before OpenAI achieved great success. In return, Musk founded a rival AI company, xAI, in 2023. With this acquisition offer, Musk seems to want to regain control of OpenAI and direct it according to his original vision.

Political Connections and Criticism of the Government

Apart from his ambitions in the world of AI, Musk is also known to have strong political ties.

He is a close ally of former US President Donald Trump and has donated more than US$250 million to support Trump’s campaign. Currently, Musk also heads the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E), a new agency under the White House that aims to streamline the federal bureaucracy.

Musk’s criticism of the US government intensified after the Trump administration announced a US$500 billion AI project led by OpenAI. Musk strongly opposed the initiative, considering it a move that was not in line with OpenAI’s original principles.

Musk’s Legal Action Against OpenAI

This is not the first time Musk has tried to take over or sue OpenAI. In August 2024, he filed a lawsuit against Sam Altman and several other OpenAI executives, accusing them of breach of contract. Musk stated that OpenAI was founded as a non-profit organization with the aim of developing AI that benefits humanity. However, he believes the company is now more focused on business profits and the interests of large investors.

“It’s time for OpenAI to return to being the open and safety-oriented force it once was,” Musk said in a statement.

The Threat of Chinese AI Domination

While internal tensions at OpenAI continue, competition from China is growing stronger. DeepSeek, one of OpenAI’s main competitors, recently surprised the AI industry with a sophisticated innovation that only required an investment of US$6 million. This move is seen as a serious threat to the dominance of Western AI companies.

The success of DeepSeek shows that China is increasingly serious about developing competitive AI technology at a much more efficient cost. If the internal situation at OpenAI is not resolved soon, it is not impossible that China will increasingly dominate the global AI sector. The question is, will the advantage of AI soon shift to China?

Read Also: DeepSeek vs ChatGPT, Which Is The Best AI Chatbot

The Future of OpenAI and Global Competition

Musk’s bid to acquire OpenAI and Sam Altman’s sarcastic response reflect the complex internal dynamics at the company.

Amid intensifying global competition, especially from China, the future of OpenAI is increasingly uncertain.

Will Musk succeed in taking over the company he founded, or will OpenAI survive under Altman’s leadership? The answer will determine the direction of AI development in the future