OpenAI’s board of directors has “unanimously” rejected Elon Musk’s offer to acquire the nonprofit entity governing the organization, the company announced on Friday. Bret Taylor, chair of the board, characterized Musk’s bid as an “attempt to disrupt his competition,” affirming that “OpenAI is not for sale.”
Musk and his AI venture, xAI, along with investors, proposed a staggering $97.4 billion for OpenAI’s nonprofit, which was swiftly dismissed by CEO Sam Altman and the board. OpenAI’s legal counsel stated that the offer does not reflect the nonprofit’s value and reiterated its commitment to its mission of ensuring that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.
This rejection comes amid ongoing tensions, as Musk has previously filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging anticompetitive behavior. In recent court documents, Musk indicated he might withdraw his bid if the board commits to preserving the nonprofit’s mission and halts its transition to a for-profit structure. The situation has sparked heated exchanges, with both sides trading barbs over the intentions behind the bid. ️
