Elon Musk leads $97.4B bid to reclaim OpenAI's nonprofit roots

A group of investors led by Elon Musk has made an unsolicited bid of $97.4 billion to acquire the nonprofit overseeing OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

The offer, submitted to OpenAI’s board on Monday by Musk’s attorney Marc Toberoff, aims to steer the organization back to its original mission of prioritizing open-source development and AI safety.

Musk, who co-founded OpenAI with Sam Altman in 2015, has been a vocal critic of the company’s shift from a nonprofit model to a for-profit structure, particularly following major investments from Microsoft and others. OpenAI, however, has dismissed Musk’s criticisms and is continuing its transition into a for-profit entity, which it aims to complete by 2026.

This latest move adds another layer to the ongoing feud between Musk and OpenAI’s leadership. Since parting ways with the company, Musk has launched his own AI venture, xAI, in 2023, positioning himself as a direct competitor.