Elon Musk Not Interested in Buying TikTok - Latest News

Elon Musk's Stance on TikTok Acquisition

Recent statements by Elon Musk indicate a lack of eagerness to purchase TikTok. He explicitly stated he is “not champing at the bit to acquire” the popular social media platform.

Remarks at the WELT Economic Summit

These comments were made during an interview at the WELT Economic Summit on January 28th. A recording of the discussion was released to the public today.

The interview followed a delay by President Donald Trump regarding legislation that would have compelled ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to divest the app or face a ban within the United States.

Potential Deal and Trump's Support

Reports had surfaced suggesting the Chinese government might consider a deal involving Musk, a known ally of Trump, acquiring the application. President Trump had even expressed a preference for either Musk or Oracle chairman Larry Ellison to take ownership of TikTok.

Furthermore, an executive order was signed to establish a sovereign wealth fund potentially capable of acquiring a stake in the app.

Musk Denies a Bid

However, Musk directly refuted these claims, asserting, “I have not put in a bid for TikTok.”

Algorithm and Potential Improvements

He further elaborated that he hasn't formulated any plans for managing TikTok, even if he were to acquire it. Musk stated he would prioritize analyzing the app’s algorithm.

His focus would be on determining the algorithm’s utility and exploring ways to modify it to enhance productivity and benefit humanity.

Limited Personal Use and Acquisition Philosophy

Musk also admitted to not personally using TikTok and expressed unfamiliarity with the platform. He characterized his purchase of Twitter, now known as X, as an unusual event in his career.

Generally, he prefers to build companies from the ground up rather than acquiring existing ones.

Discussion of Government Efficiency

Musk’s comments regarding TikTok arose approximately 20 minutes into the interview. The initial focus was on his proposed plans for a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) should he serve under a Trump administration.

Subsequently, Musk and his associates have gained control of various federal agencies and obtained access to substantial amounts of sensitive data.

Challenges in Government Improvement

“With respect to government, the primary challenge lies in overcoming bureaucratic obstacles,” Musk explained. “Bureaucracy represents a significant hurdle, second only to the challenge of defeating entropy.”

He emphasized the difficulty inherent in improving governmental processes.