Elon Musk-Led Group Makes $97.4B Offer for OpenAI; Sam Altman Says ‘No Thanks’
Elon Musk is spearheading a group of investors who’ve made a surprise $97.4bn bid for control of OpenAI, the firm behind ChatGPT. This unsolicited offer targets “all assets” of the AI startup, including its nonprofit division—currently in the midst of a restructuring that would move OpenAI toward a more traditional, for-profit model. Attorney Marc Toberoff, representing the investors, argues that if OpenAI is becoming fully commercial, its charitable arm must be compensated fairly for relinquishing the advanced AI technology.
Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO and co-founder, wasted no time pushing back. He dismissed the deal on social media, jokingly suggesting he’d “buy Twitter for $9.74bn” instead, a reference to Musk’s $44bn purchase of the platform, now named X. Tensions between Musk and Altman have simmered for years, with Musk departing OpenAI in 2019 to found xAI and repeatedly challenging the company’s pivot from nonprofit roots.
OpenAI says it needs a new structure and outside funding to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Meanwhile, Musk claims this shift deviates from OpenAI’s original mission of “developing AI for humanity.” Whether the bid marks a genuine takeover attempt or part of a protracted legal and public feud, both sides appear steadfast, leaving the company’s fate in the hands of its board.
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