Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and Elon Musk feud has escalated over Tesla CEO’s offer to buy the AI company for $97.4 billion. Altman intensified his criticism of Musk, labeling him “unhappy and insecure.” He also accused the Tesla CEO of employing manipulative tactics against the Microsoft-backed AI company, suggesting that Musk should instead focus on developing a superior product to compete effectively.
When asked if Musk’s approach was from a position of insecurity, Altman said that Musk’s whole life is from a position of insecurity.
“I feel for the guy. Actually, I do. I don’t think he’s a happy person. I do feel for him,” he said.
“The company is not for sale. It’s another one of his tactics to try to mess with us,” Altman added, referring to Musk, as per a report in news agency Reuters.
When asked the OpenAI chief if he took all of this seriously, Altman responded by saying, “I think he is probably trying to slow us down.”
“I wish he would just compete by building a better product, but I think there’s been a lot of tactics, many, many lawsuits, and all sorts of other crazy stuff. Now this, and we’ll try to just put our head down and keep working,” Altman said.
Altman on Musk’s $97.4 billion bid to buy OpenAI
Altman has already rejected Elon Musk’s bid for the company, asserting that OpenAI is not for sale.
“I have nothing to say. I mean, it’s ridiculous,” Altman said on the sidelines of an AI summit in Paris when asked about the offer.
In a previous rebuke, Altman characterised Musk, the Tesla CEO, as a “competitor who is not able to beat” the Microsoft-backed tech company.
“OpenAI is not for sale. OpenAI’s mission is not for sale – to say nothing of the fact that, like, a competitor who is not able to beat us in the market and, you know, instead is just trying to say, like, ‘I’m gonna buy this’ with total disregard for the mission is a likely path there,” he said.
He described Musk’s offer as the latest in a series of attempts to gain control of OpenAI, quipping, “There’s been like versions of Elon trying to, you know, somehow take control of OpenAI for a long time, so, it’s like, okay, here’s this week’s episode.”
Reportedly, in an internal message to OpenAI employees this week, Altman said the board planned to reject the offer.
