Musk Makes a Move for OpenAI, But Altman Says ‘No Thank You’

• Elon Musk, via a group of investors, proposed a $97.4 billion bid to acquire the nonprofit that governs OpenAI, aiming to steer it back to its original open-source and safety-focused mission.
• OpenAI CEO Sam Altman rejected the offer, countering with a humorous proposal to buy Twitter for $9.74 billion, highlighting a sharp disagreement between the two tech figures.
• Musk’s bid reflects his critique of OpenAI’s current direction and could influence the future landscape of AI development if accepted, amidst a backdrop of personal and professional tension with Altman.

Elon Musk, through a consortium of investors, has proposed a staggering $97.4 billion bid to acquire the nonprofit entity that governs OpenAI, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. This move comes as Musk, represented by his attorney Marc Toberoff, aims to steer OpenAI back towards its foundational principles of being an open-source, safety-oriented organization beneficial to society. Musk’s statement, as relayed through Toberoff, emphasizes a return to these core values, promising to ensure that OpenAI operates in alignment with its original mission.

However, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shot down this unsolicited offer on Monday. The offer represents a significant reduction from OpenAI’s current valuation; according to CNBC, SoftBank plans to invest $40 billion in OpenAI at a valuation of $260 billion. Altman posted his response to Musk on X, stating, “No thank you, but we will buy Twitter for $9.74 billion if you want.”

Musk responded minutes later, calling Altman a “scammer” and a “swindler.”

This retort from Musk, who owns X (formerly known as Twitter) which he purchased for $44 billion in 2022, underscores the tension between the two tech leaders. This bid not only reflects Musk’s ongoing interest in AI but also his critique of the current direction of OpenAI, signaling a potential shift in how AI development might be approached if his offer were to be accepted. This development could have profound implications for the AI industry, especially given Musk’s history of pushing technological boundaries while advocating for ethical considerations in AI development.

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