Elon Musk, thinks he’s real slick. The richest man in the world alongside a group of investors, has put forward a substantial $97.4 billion bid to acquire OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company behind ChatGPT. This offer targets the nonprofit entity that oversees the groundbreaking technology. Marc Toberoff, Musk’s attorney, confirmed that the bid was officially submitted to OpenAI’s board on Monday.
Musk’s group, which includes his AI startup xAI and long-time backers such as Baron Capital Group and 8VC, intends to purchase all assets of OpenAI, Inc., with the funds dedicated to furthering the organization’s original charitable mission. Toberoff emphasized the goal of returning OpenAI to its roots as an open-source, safety-first initiative.However, OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, rejected the offer in a post on X, suggesting Musk and his team might be interested in purchasing Twitter instead. Musk responded with a sharp retort, calling Altman a “swindler” in a heated exchange on the platform.The bid comes at a time of growing tension between Musk and Altman, who were co-founders of OpenAI in 2015. Musk has filed a lawsuit accusing OpenAI of antitrust violations and attempting to transition from its nonprofit origins to a for-profit entity. Meanwhile, OpenAI’s current partnerships, including with SoftBank and Oracle, have fueled massive investments in AI infrastructure, further elevating the company’s market value.This bid marks the latest development in an ongoing battle for control over one of the most influential players in the rapidly growing AI industry.
