Musk could gain a strategic edge for X and his AI ventures like xAI’s Grok chatbot through TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users.
Chinese officials are reportedly exploring the possibility of selling TikTok’s U.S. operations to billionaire Elon Musk if the short-video app cannot avert a looming ban, according to a Bloomberg News report.
The decision comes amid growing pressure from U.S. lawmakers and national security concerns over TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, based in China.
Beijing reportedly prefers TikTok to remain under ByteDance’s control, but the app’s future in the U.S. is now uncertain. The report suggests that TikTok’s U.S. operations could be sold through a competitive process or as part of a government-facilitated arrangement.
ByteDance’s “golden share,” which grants the Chinese government significant influence over the company, has been a major point of contention, with some U.S. lawmakers arguing it poses a security risk.
Under one scenario outlined by Bloomberg…