OpenAI says its board of directors ‘unanimously’ rejects Elon Musk’s bid

OpenAI's board rejects Elon Musk's $97.4B bid to buy its nonprofit, citing mission misalignment.

: OpenAI's board of directors has unanimously rejected Elon Musk's $97.4 billion offer to purchase its nonprofit arm, deeming it an attempt to disrupt competition. Bret Taylor, OpenAI's board chair, and Andy Nussbaum, its legal counsel, both confirmed the decision, stressing the importance of the organization's mission to benefit humanity. Despite the offer from Musk, xAI, and a group of investors, the board emphasized that OpenAI is not for sale, especially while it transitions to a public benefit corporation. Disputes continue between Musk and OpenAI, including a lawsuit and public criticism.

OpenAI’s board of directors unanimously rejected Elon Musk’s $97.4 billion bid to purchase the nonprofit governing the organization. The board, led by Bret Taylor, labeled the proposal as a disruption attempt against competitors, asserting that potential changes should instead bolster the nonprofit's mission to build artificial general intelligence that benefits humanity.

Musk, alongside his company xAI and other investors, initiated the unsolicited offer, which OpenAI quickly—but informally—dismissed. OpenAI's legal counsel, Andy Nussbaum, criticized Musk's proposal for not establishing a proper value for the nonprofit, highlighting that the organization is not up for sale during its transition to a traditional for-profit entity.

Further legal challenges have arisen, as Musk previously filed a lawsuit alleging anticompetitive behavior by OpenAI. Tension continues to mount between Musk’s supporters and OpenAI, with accusations exchanged regarding motivations behind the bid. As the situation unfolds in both legal arenas and public discourse, Musk's representatives have indicated the bid could be retracted if the nonprofit's mission is maintained.

OpenAIElon Muskartificial intelligence