Elon Musk’s $97.4 Billion Bid to Acquire OpenAI.
Elon Musk, leading a consortium of investors, has submitted a $97.4 billion bid to acquire the nonprofit entity that controls OpenAI, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. This move escalates the ongoing conflict between Musk and OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, over the organization’s strategic direction.
Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but departed in 2018, has been a vocal critic of its transition toward a for-profit model. He has initiated legal action against OpenAI and Altman, alleging that the organization has strayed from its original mission of developing AI for the benefit of humanity, instead prioritizing commercial interests.
His AI startup, xAI, is backing the bid, with discussions of a potential merger with OpenAI underway. Attorney Marc Toberoff submitted the proposal to OpenAI’s board on Monday. Musk emphasized the need for OpenAI to return to its roots, stating, “It’s time for OpenAI to return to the open-source, safety-focused force for good it once was.”
Tensions escalated further after OpenAI announced Stargate, a $500 billion AI initiative, at the White House. Musk questioned the funding viability of this ambitious project.
Also Read:-
Altman swiftly rejected Musk’s offer, responding with a succinct “No, thank you” on X (formerly Twitter). He further quipped, suggesting he would buy X from Musk for $9.74 billion, highlighting the strained relationship between the two tech leaders.
Neither OpenAI, Musk, nor OpenAI’s key investor, Microsoft, have provided further comments on the bid. This development could significantly reshape the AI landscape, potentially placing OpenAI under Musk’s leadership and reigniting debates over AI commercialization and ethical development.
