OpenAI has clarified that what appeared to be an acquisition offer for a teenage entrepreneur's startup concept was merely stage banter. The incident occurred last Thursday during a tech accelerator event in Dublin, the Irish Independent reports, when OpenAI's Ireland policy lead Derek Nolan seemingly offered to buy teen Conall O'Reilly's startup idea.

Video footage captures Nolan announcing: "We are delighted to offer to acquire your company today, and your plan to create a free open decentralised internet. OpenAI would like to buy your project and take you in-house pretty soon." But there was no deal.

The ChatGPT developer told the Independent that Nolan had simply been joking with a room full of teenagers. "One of the things he said was, we're going to buy your company, you know, it was such a good project," an OpenAI spokesman said. When asked whether there was an acquisition, they added: "But no. There isn't any."

The comments were delivered at the wrap-up of the Patch summer programme, an industry-backed scheme helping 16-21 year-olds develop startup ideas. OpenAI is one of the programme's sponsors.