Sam Altman fires back at Elon Musk: ‘I don’t think he’s a happy person. I feel for him’
The Billionaire Battle Over AI: Musk vs. Altman
The fight over the future of artificial intelligence has just become a whole lot more intriguing. In a daring gesture, Elon Musk and his backers have placed a breathtaking $97.4 billion offer to acquire OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. But OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has no interest in selling—igniting yet another public spat between the two tech titans.
The Offer That Shook the AI World
On Monday, Musk revealed his huge bid to acquire OpenAI, a firm he co-founded but later left. The board of OpenAI is now in a dilemma: consider the offer or remain on their mission-oriented course. Altman has made it clear, however—there is no intention to sell.
In an interview during the Paris AI Action Summit, Altman brushed off Musk's action as another diversion. "Elon attempts all kinds of things for a long time. This is the latest—you know, this week's episode," he said. "I think he's probably just trying to slow us down."
A Feud Years in the Making
The tension between Musk and Altman has been brewing for years. Musk, once a champion of OpenAI’s mission, left the company in 2018 after failing to convince the team to let Tesla take over. Since then, he has become one of OpenAI’s loudest critics, filing multiple lawsuits against the company, arguing it has strayed from its nonprofit roots in pursuit of profit.
Musk's new lawsuit, brought in August 2024, alleges that OpenAI put profit ahead of safety and is "racketeering." OpenAI retorts that Musk is merely miffed at falling behind its success. "I wish he'd just compete and make a better product," Altman said. "But there have been lots of tactics—lots of lawsuits, all kinds of other crazy things, now this."
Why Musk's Offer Matters
Musk's eye-popping $97.4 billion offer does more than get headlines—it sets the bar for how much OpenAI is worth. Even if the firm has no desire to sell, the bid puts OpenAI in the position where it must explain why plans to restructure internally would be superior to taking the cash.
The catch? OpenAI is governed by a nonprofit entity that owns its for-profit subsidiary, OpenAI LP. That is to say, they don't owe the same duty to maximize profits as other for-profits do, and therefore can turn down Musk's offer if they feel he would get in the way of their mission. However, if the bid is genuine, OpenAI will have to demonstrate its alternative route values the firm reasonably.
The Bigger Picture: Power and AI
This fight is not merely a battle between two billionaires—it's about who owns AI and where it goes from here. OpenAI has been leading the development of AI, and its moves will determine the way the tech is created and governed. All the while, Musk has constructed his own AI firm, x.AI, which directly competes with OpenAI.
The stakes are even higher now that Musk is said to be growing his influence in Donald Trump's White House. Asked if that bothered him, Altman shrugged. "Maybe I should, but not particularly," he replied. "I just try to wake up and wonder how we're going to improve our technology."
Source by :-
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/11/tech/sam-altman-elon-musk-openai/index.html
What Happens Next
The board of OpenAI will have to respond to Musk's bid, but they will not sell. Nevertheless, the action compels the company to become more forthcoming regarding its capital structure and ultimate objectives. As for Musk, he can keep fighting OpenAI in court, in the press, and via x.AI.
One thing is for sure: this battle for AI supremacy is hardly over, and choices today will determine the future of the industry for many years to come.
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