Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reportedly made a $97.4 billion bid to gain control of OpenAI’s nonprofit governing body, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Monday.
This move follows Musk’s legal action against OpenAI, where he sought to prevent the organization from shifting to a for-profit structure.
His bid is expected to further escalate tensions between Musk and OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, amid an ongoing dispute over the company’s direction. OpenAI has been at the forefront of the generative AI revolution, and Musk has voiced concerns over its recent trajectory.
Musk has also been critical of OpenAI’s ambitious $500 billion AI initiative, Stargate, which was unveiled at the White House shortly after President Donald Trump resumed office. He argued that the project’s investors lacked the financial backing necessary for such an undertaking.
According to the WSJ, Musk’s lawyer, Marc Toberoff, confirmed that the proposal was officially submitted to OpenAI’s board on Monday.
“It’s time for OpenAI to return to its original mission—an open-source, safety-driven organization focused on the good of humanity,” Musk stated in a declaration shared by Toberoff. “We will ensure that happens.”
Neither Musk, OpenAI, Toberoff, nor OpenAI’s key investor, Microsoft, responded to Reuters’ requests for comment on the matter.
The offer is reportedly backed by xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence company, which could potentially merge with OpenAI if the acquisition moves forward.
Musk was among OpenAI’s co-founders alongside Altman in 2015 but exited before the company gained significant traction. In 2023, he launched xAI as a direct competitor in the AI space.
OpenAI is currently undergoing a transition to a for-profit structure, arguing that such a move is necessary to secure sufficient funding for the advancement of AI technologies.
Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman claims that the company was initially created as a nonprofit with a mission to develop AI for the benefit of humanity, but has since shifted its focus toward commercial interests.
