Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk has categorically denied any interest in acquiring TikTok US, dismissing speculations that he was considering a bid for the social media giant. Speaking at a conference in Germany last month, Musk made it clear that he had no plans to pursue the platform, which has been at the center of national security concerns in the United States.
“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 said.
His remarks, first published by Die Welt on Saturday, mark his first public statement on the matter. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO also emphasized that he does not personally use the app and prefers building companies from scratch rather than acquiring existing ones.
TikTok’s Uncertain Future in the U.S.
Musk’s statement comes amid increasing scrutiny over TikTok’s ownership by ByteDance, the Chinese tech giant that U.S. lawmakers claim poses a national security risk. While Washington has been pushing for a forced sale, ByteDance has resisted, and any deal would still require approval from the Chinese government—which has signaled strong opposition to a forced divestiture.
▪ U.S. lawmakers continue to explore legislative measures that could ban or force TikTok’s sale to an American company.
▪ China has repeatedly stated that it will not allow ByteDance to sell TikTok under pressure, raising concerns about a prolonged legal and geopolitical battle.
▪ Potential buyers, including major U.S. tech firms, remain on standby as they await a Supreme Court ruling on whether the U.S. government can legally mandate the sale.
Musk on AI and Rising Competition
During the same interview, Musk addressed growing competition in artificial intelligence, particularly from DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company that launched in January. DeepSeek has gained attention for offering high-performance AI models at significantly lower costs, posing a potential challenge to industry leaders like Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI.
“Is it some AI revolution? No, it is not. xAI and others will soon be releasing models that are better than DeepSeek,” Musk stated.
His AI venture, xAI, is currently developing new large language models (LLMs) to rival ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, with Musk suggesting that DeepSeek’s innovations are not as disruptive as some fear.
Musk’s Take on Government Efficiency and Regulations
The billionaire also spoke about government efficiency, advocating for a “Department of Government Efficiency” to streamline bureaucratic processes. He suggested that Germany should adopt a model similar to what he has promoted in the U.S.
“The cleansing process for getting rid of nonsensical regulations is war. We prefer not to have war. In the absence of war, you have to have something like what we’ve formed in the U.S.,” Musk said.
He also defended Donald Trump’s use of tariffs, arguing that they could be an effective tool for driving international cooperation on key policy issues.
Final Thoughts
Musk’s comments on TikTok reinforce his preference for building rather than acquiring, a stance that aligns with his broader entrepreneurial philosophy. While TikTok’s U.S. future remains uncertain, one thing is clear: Elon Musk won’t be the one to take it over. Instead, he remains focused on AI advancements, regulatory efficiency, and expanding his own empire—on his own terms.
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