Musk's Bid for OpenAI Revealed, Meta Denies Involvement

Tesla CEO Elon Musk attempted to invite Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg to join him in a bid to acquire OpenAI earlier this year, according to recent legal filings by OpenAI. The documents reveal that Musk had discussed the potential acquisition with Zuckerberg, but Meta and its executives did not sign any letters of intent or substantially engage in the $974 billion acquisition offer. OpenAI's board formally rejected the proposal in February.

The ongoing legal dispute between Musk and OpenAI has intensified. Musk, who co-founded OpenAI with Sam Altman a decade ago, left the board to establish a competing venture, xAI, and has since filed two lawsuits. These lawsuits allege that OpenAI has deviated from its non-profit mission and charitable goals, seeking a court order to prevent its transition into a traditional for-profit entity.

The disclosed acquisition details could potentially undermine Musk's legal claims. A judge had previously noted that Musk's own attempts to integrate OpenAI into Tesla or push for its commercialization contradict his allegations that Altman betrayed the organization's mission.

In response to these developments, OpenAI has requested the court to subpoena all relevant communication records between Meta and Musk. This move aims to substantiate its claims. However, Meta has opposed this request, asserting that the company did not participate in the acquisition negotiations and that its interactions with Musk were "not of substantial significance." Meta argues that any relevant evidence should be sought from the actual parties involved, not from Meta.

Both Musk's team and Meta have declined to comment on the matter, while OpenAI has stated that it will only comment on the contents of the court filings. This strategic battle for control in the artificial intelligence sector is evolving into a complex legal dispute between tech giants and startups. As the case progresses, the court will focus on Musk's attempts to reshape the industry through acquisition, the validity of his allegations, and the balance between corporate transformation and founding principles.