Tech billionaire Elon Musk has made it clear that he has no plans to purchase TikTok’s U.S. operations, despite widespread speculation. The popular social media platform, owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, has been under scrutiny in the United States over national security concerns.
Musk addressed these rumors while speaking at a conference in Germany last month. In his first public statement on the matter, he firmly denied any interest in acquiring TikTok.
“I have not put in a bid for TikTok. I don’t have any plans for what I would do if I had TikTok,” Musk stated during the event.
TikTok’s Uncertain Future in the U.S.
Musk’s statement comes at a time when TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains unclear. The U.S. government has raised concerns that the app, due to its ties to China, could pose a national security risk. While ByteDance has refused to sell TikTok, some prospective buyers believe that a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on national security laws could eventually force the company to either sell or shut down its American operations.
However, even if the U.S. government mandates a sale, the decision would still require approval from the Chinese government. Beijing has signaled strong opposition to any forced divestiture of TikTok’s U.S. operations, making the situation even more complex.
Musk on AI Competition and Global Regulations
During the same conference, Musk also commented on the increasing competition in artificial intelligence. He specifically addressed DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot that launched in January. DeepSeek has gained attention for offering high-performance AI models at significantly lower costs than Western competitors, raising concerns among investors in companies like Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI.
However, Musk dismissed the notion that DeepSeek represents a major breakthrough in AI. “Is it some AI revolution? No, it is not. xAI and others will soon be releasing models that are better than DeepSeek,” he said, referring to his own AI company, xAI.
Advocacy for Government Efficiency
Musk also took the opportunity to discuss global regulatory policies. He suggested that governments, particularly in Europe, should adopt a “Department of Government Efficiency” to streamline bureaucratic processes and eliminate unnecessary regulations.
“Getting rid of nonsensical regulations is like a war. We prefer not to have war. In the absence of war, you need something like what we’ve formed in the U.S.,” he explained, referring to his advocacy for regulatory reforms.
Musk further defended former U.S. President Donald Trump’s use of tariffs, arguing that such economic policies can be useful tools to encourage international cooperation on key policy issues.
Final Thoughts
Musk’s remarks reinforce his preference for building companies from the ground up rather than acquiring existing ones. While speculation around TikTok’s ownership continues, Musk has made it clear that he is not interested in purchasing the platform.
Meanwhile, discussions about the future of AI and global economic policies are expected to continue, with Musk and other tech leaders playing a central role in shaping these debates.
