Elon Musk Proposes $97.4 Billion Offer to Buy OpenAI

Elon Musk has publicly criticized OpenAI for shifting away from its nonprofit roots, citing his initial investment of nearly $50 million with the expectation that the organization would remain open-source and nonprofit. This criticism comes amid Musk's recent $97.4 billion offer to buy OpenAI, which CEO Sam Altman has dismissed as 'ridiculous' and contrary to OpenAI's mission. Musk's attempt to acquire the company stems from a long-standing feud over the direction of OpenAI, which transitioned to a capped-profit model in 2019, a change Musk initially advocated for before resigning from the board in 2018. Altman stated that the board plans to reject Musk's offer based on OpenAI's mission, although it has not formally reviewed the offer yet. The ongoing legal battle between Musk and OpenAI is set to go to trial in late 2026, with both Musk and Altman expected to testify. This situation reflects a broader conflict over control, vision, and the future trajectory of AI development.