---
title: "Altman reportedly considered purchasing a rocket company to build data centers in space and compete with Musk"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/268554766.md"
description: "OpenAI CEO Sam Altman once considered raising funds to acquire a rocket manufacturer to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX and establish data centers in space. Although related negotiations are no longer active, Altman's interest in space data centers stems from the demand for computing power driven by AI development. Additionally, Altman founded the brain-computer interface company Merge Labs to compete with Neuralink and plans to establish a social media platform to compete with X"
datetime: "2025-12-04T08:10:52.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/268554766.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/268554766.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/268554766.md)
---

# Altman reportedly considered purchasing a rocket company to build data centers in space and compete with Musk

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has explored raising funds to acquire a rocket manufacturer, aiming to compete with his "rival" Elon Musk's SpaceX. The report indicates that Altman has approached at least one rocket manufacturer, including Stoke Space, and discussions have intensified in the fall. He has even proposed the idea of establishing data centers in space, or even creating a "Dyson Sphere."

The report states that one of the proposals is for OpenAI to make a series of equity investments in the company, ultimately gaining a controlling stake, with the total investment expected to reach billions of dollars over time. However, sources close to OpenAI revealed that the negotiations are currently no longer active.

## Predicting a World Covered by Data Centers

The report points out that Altman's interest in rockets stems from his obsession with "space data centers." He believes that the computing power required for AI development will consume vast amounts of electricity, which the Earth's environment may struggle to support, making space a better option.

Altman also recently predicted in a podcast that, over time, most areas of the world will be covered by data centers. He stated, "Maybe we should build a massive Dyson Sphere around the solar system to power them, and then say, 'Hey, putting these data centers on Earth is actually meaningless.'"

## Plans to Establish a Brain-Computer Interface Company and Social Media

In addition to the rocket field, Altman has recently founded a brain-computer interface startup, Merge Labs, to compete with Musk's Neuralink; at the same time, OpenAI is also building a social media platform that may compete with X

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- [OpenAI.NA](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/OpenAI.NA.md)

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