Sam Altman Affirms OpenAI Is 'Not for Sale' Following $97 Billion Bid Led by Elon Musk
During the AI Action Summit in Paris, OpenAI's CEO reiterated the company's commitment to its mission amidst a contentious bid from a group including Tesla's Elon Musk.
On February 11, 2025, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, asserted that the artificial intelligence company is 'not for sale' after a bid worth more than $97 billion from a group of investors led by Elon Musk.
This development was announced during the AI Action Summit held in Paris, where Altman addressed the media regarding the proposal.
The reported offer of $97.4 billion was made public on the evening of February 10, 2025. In response, Altman made a statement on social media platform X, humorously suggesting that while OpenAI was not for sale, he would consider purchasing Twitter for $9.74 billion instead.
While speaking to Sky News at the summit, Altman elaborated on his stance, referencing the ongoing tensions with Musk, stating that OpenAI has faced repeated attempts from Musk to assume control of the organization since Musk's resignation from the board in 2018.
In an interview with Axios, Altman said, 'OpenAI is not for sale.
OpenAI’s mission is not for sale.' He further criticized Musk's approach, highlighting that it lacked regard for OpenAI's foundational goals as a research organization.
The history between the two figures dates back to the founding of OpenAI in 2015, where both had significant roles in establishing the organization.
Since then, their paths have diverged, particularly following Musk's departure from the board, which has been characterized by differences in vision and strategic direction.
Musk founded his own AI venture, xAI, and last year initiated legal proceedings against OpenAI in both California state court and U.S. federal court.
Musk's lawsuit accused the company of straying from its initial mission as a non-profit research lab aimed at serving public interests.
Presently, OpenAI operates with a dual structure, comprising a non-profit entity and a for-profit subsidiary, with governance from the non-profit board.
Musk's legal representatives indicated that the rationale behind the recent bid was to revert OpenAI to its original non-profit status.
In response to inquiries regarding the impact of Musk's attempts on OpenAI's ongoing restructuring, Altman stated, 'The board will decide what to do there.
The non-profit will continue as a very, very strong thing.
The mission is really important and we’re just really focused on making sure that we consider that.'
OpenAI has played a pivotal role in the current surge of interest in artificial intelligence, particularly following the launch of its ChatGPT chatbot in late 2022, which popularized the concept of generative AI.
This development was announced during the AI Action Summit held in Paris, where Altman addressed the media regarding the proposal.
The reported offer of $97.4 billion was made public on the evening of February 10, 2025. In response, Altman made a statement on social media platform X, humorously suggesting that while OpenAI was not for sale, he would consider purchasing Twitter for $9.74 billion instead.
While speaking to Sky News at the summit, Altman elaborated on his stance, referencing the ongoing tensions with Musk, stating that OpenAI has faced repeated attempts from Musk to assume control of the organization since Musk's resignation from the board in 2018.
In an interview with Axios, Altman said, 'OpenAI is not for sale.
OpenAI’s mission is not for sale.' He further criticized Musk's approach, highlighting that it lacked regard for OpenAI's foundational goals as a research organization.
The history between the two figures dates back to the founding of OpenAI in 2015, where both had significant roles in establishing the organization.
Since then, their paths have diverged, particularly following Musk's departure from the board, which has been characterized by differences in vision and strategic direction.
Musk founded his own AI venture, xAI, and last year initiated legal proceedings against OpenAI in both California state court and U.S. federal court.
Musk's lawsuit accused the company of straying from its initial mission as a non-profit research lab aimed at serving public interests.
Presently, OpenAI operates with a dual structure, comprising a non-profit entity and a for-profit subsidiary, with governance from the non-profit board.
Musk's legal representatives indicated that the rationale behind the recent bid was to revert OpenAI to its original non-profit status.
In response to inquiries regarding the impact of Musk's attempts on OpenAI's ongoing restructuring, Altman stated, 'The board will decide what to do there.
The non-profit will continue as a very, very strong thing.
The mission is really important and we’re just really focused on making sure that we consider that.'
OpenAI has played a pivotal role in the current surge of interest in artificial intelligence, particularly following the launch of its ChatGPT chatbot in late 2022, which popularized the concept of generative AI.