By Editorial Team 
In a dramatic turn of events, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has reportedly rejected an acquisition offer from Elon Musk and instead made a bold counteroffer to buy X (formerly Twitter) from Musk. The move has set the tech world abuzz, highlighting the growing rivalry between two of the most influential figures in artificial intelligence and social media.
Sources close to the negotiations revealed that Musk approached Altman with an offer to acquire OpenAI for an estimated $90 billion. Musk’s interest in reclaiming control over OpenAI comes after his departure from the company in 2018 due to internal disagreements over its direction.
Musk reportedly wanted to:
✅ Regain influence over OpenAI’s artificial intelligence development.
✅ Shift OpenAI’s focus toward an open-source model.
✅ Align OpenAI’s mission with his vision of AI safety and regulation.
However, Altman swiftly rejected the offer, stating that OpenAI’s independence is crucial for fulfilling its mission to develop safe and beneficial artificial intelligence.
Altman responded,
“OpenAI’s mission transcends individual ownership. We are committed to advancing AI for the benefit of humanity, not for the interests of a single individual or corporation.”
In an unexpected twist, Altman followed up his rejection with a counteroffer — proposing to buy X from Musk for $44 billion — the same amount Musk paid when he acquired Twitter in 2022.
Altman’s bid to acquire X is reportedly aimed at integrating OpenAI’s technology with the social media platform to:
✅ Enhance user experience through AI-driven content recommendations.
✅ Develop AI-based content moderation to combat misinformation.
✅ Create a seamless AI-powered communication and information hub.
Altman stated,
“X has the potential to become the world’s most intelligent and dynamic communication platform. With OpenAI’s capabilities, we could take it to the next level.”
Musk’s reaction was swift and pointed. In a post on X, Musk tweeted:
“Nice try, Sam. But X is not for sale — at any price.”
He followed up with another post stating,
“AI integration on X is already in progress. We don’t need help from OpenAI.”
Musk has long been critical of OpenAI’s move toward a profit-driven model, claiming that the company has strayed from its original mission of open-source AI development.
💹 Tech Stocks Surge – OpenAI’s rejection and Altman’s counteroffer triggered a surge in tech stocks, with OpenAI’s valuation climbing by nearly 8% in after-hours trading.
🚀 Investor Confidence – Altman’s bold move was viewed positively by investors, who see OpenAI’s strategic focus on AI integration as a key growth driver.
📱 Social Media Impact – X users were quick to react, with hashtags like #AltmanVsMusk and #OpenAI trending globally.
While Musk’s offer to buy OpenAI seems to be off the table, the rivalry between Altman and Musk is far from over. Industry insiders suggest that Altman’s counteroffer could be a strategic play to pressure Musk into deeper AI integration on X — or even to challenge Musk’s dominance in the AI space.
As both OpenAI and X continue to evolve, the clash between two of the most powerful figures in tech promises to reshape the future of artificial intelligence and social media.
Stay tuned to Global Times Square for more updates on this developing story.