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Elon Musk tried to buy OpenAI for $97,4 billion, but Sam Altman refused without thinking twice and even mocked him, offering to buy X for $9,74 billion. Angry, Musk went on the attack, calling Altman a “swindler” and, to make matters worse, saw Tesla sales plummet in Europe and the US!
It seems Elon Musk can't get enough of controversy. This time, he's taken a giant leap into the artificial intelligence industry by leading a consortium of investors to buy OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. The offer? A whopping $97,4 billion.
The plan seemed bold, but it made sense: OpenAI is among the leaders in the AI industry, and Musk has always liked having the control over the technologies of the future. The proposal was officially delivered last Monday (10), and the expectation was that the owners of OpenAI would at least consider the sale.
But then came the reality check…
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Sam Altman's response and public humiliation
If Elon Musk thought he was going to buy OpenAI without any resistance, he was sorely mistaken. Sam Altman, the company's CEO, not only turned down the offer but made sure to rub the answer in the billionaire's face – and in public.
Altman went to X (formerly Twitter) and fired off a comment that took everyone by surprise: “I’d rather buy X for $9,74 billion.”
For those who don't remember, Elon Musk paid $44 billion for the platform and has since faced heavy criticism for the way he manages it. Altman's response basically called Musk a bad negotiator and turned the situation into a real internet meme.
The owner of Tesla, of course, didn't let it go and let the dogs loose. He called Altman a “conman” and continued to argue online, but the damage was already done. By this point, the internet was ablaze with the banter.
Tesla faces sharp drop in sales in Europe and the US
As if the public humiliation wasn't enough, Elon Musk also had to deal with some bad news in the real world. Tesla's sales plummeted in Europe and the US, putting the company in a difficult situation.
Just to give you an idea, in Germany, Tesla's electric car sales fell 59% compared to last year. And the problem didn't stop there:
Spain: 75,4% drop
France: 63,4% drop
Sweden: 46% drop
Norway: 40,2% drop
In the US, the scenario is also not encouraging. In California, which is the largest electric vehicle market in the country, Tesla's sales fell 12% at the beginning of 2024. The Model 3, one of the brand's most important cars, saw a frightening 36% drop in sales.
In other words, in addition to losing OpenAI, Musk is also losing ground in the automotive sector.
Elon Musk's Reputation and Impact on His Business
All of this raises a question: is Elon Musk's image starting to work against him?
Recent research suggests that Tesla's reputation is in freefall. One reason may be the billionaire's relationship with Donald Trump and the far right, which has alienated some consumers.
According to the consultancy Caliber, that measures public trust in brands, Tesla recorded its worst reputation scores since 2023.
