Elon Musk’s $97.4 billion bid to acquire OpenAI has sparked intense debate in the AI community. Musk, along with a group of investors, sought to take control of OpenAI and realign it with its original nonprofit mission. However, the offer was swiftly rejected by OpenAI’s board, reinforcing the organization’s current direction under Sam Altman.
Bret Taylor, a board member at OpenAI, made it clear that the company had no interest in Musk’s proposal. “OpenAI is not for sale,” he stated, adding that any restructuring of the company would be aimed at strengthening its commitment to ensuring artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all of humanity. The board’s decision was unanimous, signaling firm support for Altman’s leadership and the company’s evolving business model.
Musk’s legal team framed the offer as an opportunity to restore OpenAI’s original mission. Marc Toberoff, Musk’s attorney, argued that if OpenAI wanted to continue on its path as a for-profit entity, then its nonprofit wing should be fairly compensated for relinquishing control of the AI technology. However, this argument failed to persuade OpenAI’s leadership, which remained skeptical of Musk’s intentions.
Sam Altman dismissed Musk’s proposal almost immediately, even making a sarcastic counteroffer on X (formerly Twitter), suggesting that OpenAI would be happy to buy Twitter from Musk for $9.74 billion. At the 2025 Paris AI Summit, Altman elaborated on his rejection, calling Musk’s move “ridiculous” and emphasizing that OpenAI was not interested in entertaining his bid. He further commented that Musk’s frequent attempts to disrupt OpenAI were nothing new, saying, “This is just this week’s episode.”
Altman also criticized Musk’s competitive approach, arguing that instead of using lawsuits and aggressive acquisition tactics, he should focus on building a superior AI product. He noted that Musk had secured significant funding for his own AI venture, xAI, and was directly competing with OpenAI in the race to develop cutting-edge AI technologies. Altman’s comments suggested that he viewed Musk’s bid as a strategic move to slow down OpenAI rather than a genuine attempt to improve its operations.
The rivalry between Musk and OpenAI has intensified in recent months, with Musk previously suing the organization over its shift from a nonprofit to a for-profit model. He has repeatedly expressed concerns that OpenAI has deviated from its founding principles, particularly after its close partnership with Microsoft. This latest bid was seen by many as Musk’s attempt to regain influence over the AI giant, but with both Altman and the board standing firm, it appears OpenAI has no intention of reversing course.
Industry analysts suggest that Musk’s move was driven by a combination of business strategy and personal competition. With xAI striving to catch up to OpenAI in AI development, securing control of OpenAI could have provided Musk with a major advantage. However, given OpenAI’s strong financial backing and its continued dominance in the AI space, Musk’s bid was unlikely to succeed from the start.
As the AI landscape continues to evolve, the battle between key players like Musk and Altman underscores the high stakes involved in shaping the future of artificial intelligence. OpenAI’s firm rejection of Musk’s offer signals its confidence in its current trajectory, while Musk’s persistence suggests that his rivalry with OpenAI is far from over.
