According to The Wall Street Journal, Elon Musk has made a $97.4 billion bid to regain control of OpenAI’s nonprofit arm.
His proposal, submitted to OpenAI’s board on Monday, is backed by his AI company xAI, Valor Equity Partners, media executive Ari Emanuel, and venture firm 8VC.
Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but left in 2019, has long criticized its shift from open-source AI development. His offer challenges OpenAI’s current direction under CEO Sam Altman, who is pushing for a for-profit model, securing major funding, and planning a $500 billion AI infrastructure project.
“OpenAI must return to its mission of transparency and safety,” Musk said in a statement.
The bid could disrupt Altman’s negotiations with Microsoft and other investors. Shortly after the news broke, Altman responded on X: “No thank you—but we’ll buy Twitter for $9.74 billion if you want.”
no thank you but we will buy twitter for $9.74 billion if you want
— Sam Altman (@sama) February 10, 2025
Musk’s move reignites a long-standing rivalry, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown over AI’s future.
