OpenAI Co-Founder and CEO Sam Altman speaking

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August 19, 2026

OpenAI clarifies ‘acquisition’ offer for Irish teen's startup idea was a joke

AI giant tells Irish Independent it will not pursue decentralised internet idea

Éanna Kelly

2 min read

OpenAI has said that what looked like an offer to acquire a teenage entrepreneur's startup concept was a bit of stage banter. 

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Éanna Kelly

Éanna Kelly is a contributing editor at Sifted, and writes Startup Life , a weekly newsletter on what it takes to build a startup. Follow him on X and LinkedIn

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