Diss Of Billions: Elon Musk Offers To Buy OpenAI For $97.4 Billion, Sam Altman Says He'd Buy X For One-Tenth The Amount
Despite Musk’s ongoing legal challenges and acquisition attempt, Altman’s rejection underscores his commitment to maintaining OpenAI’s current trajectory.
Kendrick Lamar and Drake aren't the only superstars dissing each other publicly of late. It seems that superstars of the tech world, Elon Musk and Sam Altman, have brought their clear dislike for each other out under the spotlight once again. Musk, following previous lawsuits against OpenAI, recently made an unexpected move to acquire the ChatGPT maker. Altman, a former CEO of the Year (TIME magazine), has decided to shut down the competition with an offer to buy X (formerly Twitter) instead.
How Did Altman Respond?
According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, Musk and a consortium of investors presented a staggering $97.4 billion buyout proposal to OpenAI’s leadership. However, CEO Sam Altman firmly rejected the offer, responding with a straightforward, "No thank you," adding an offer to buy Twitter for $9.74 billion instead. Diss of billions, indeed!
no thank you but we will buy twitter for $9.74 billion if you want
— Sam Altman (@sama) February 10, 2025
How Did Musk React To Altman's Diss?
Musk responded exactly as one can imagine the eccentric billionaire would:
Swindler
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 10, 2025
Why Does Musk Want To Buy OpenAI?
As per the report, sources indicate that Musk's proposal aimed to reshape OpenAI by reverting it to its nonprofit origins. Marc Toberoff, Musk’s legal representative, emphasised the importance of ethical considerations in the deal. “If Sam Altman and the current board want OpenAI to become a fully for-profit company, it’s important that the charity is fairly compensated for losing control of such groundbreaking technology,” Toberoff asserted.
However, Musk's move could force OpenAI to reassess its valuation.
AI expert and Co-founder and CEO of AI&Beyond, Jaspreet Bindra, told ABP Live, "Musk’s bid for OpenAI’s non-profit arm is a bold and disruptive power play that challenges the very foundation of its governance structure. While unlikely to succeed, it forces OpenAI to reassess the valuation of its non-profit entity, which holds controlling power over the for-profit arm."
"Musk’s offer values the non-profit as equivalent to a 51 per cent stake, effectively raising the stakes and threatening to dilute key investors like Microsoft — just as OpenAI is reportedly raising fresh capital at a $300 billion valuation," Bindra added. "This isn’t just a financial move; it’s a strategic attempt to control the future of AI by targeting its governance model. Blurring the lines between non-profit oversight and for-profit ambition, Musk has disrupted the evolving AI power dynamics, creating ripple effects that could reshape the industry for years to come."
Musk Vs Altman
This acquisition offer comes on the heels of two lawsuits Musk filed against OpenAI in 2024. In the first legal dispute, which emerged in July, Musk accused the company of straying from its foundational principles by adopting a more commercialised, profit-oriented approach. He argued that this shift undermined OpenAI’s mission to prioritise societal benefits over corporate gains.
The second lawsuit, filed in August, alleged that OpenAI was aggressively pursuing artificial general intelligence (AGI) development with profit maximisation as the primary goal. Musk even accused the organisation of engaging in racketeering activities.
Musk’s discontent with OpenAI stems from his early involvement as a founding member and financial backer. Initially established as a nonprofit entity dedicated to responsible AI development, OpenAI later transitioned to a capped-profit model to attract necessary investments for research. This strategic shift has remained a point of contention for Musk, who believes it compromises the company’s founding ethos.
Despite Musk’s ongoing legal challenges and acquisition attempt, Altman’s rejection underscores his commitment to maintaining OpenAI’s current trajectory. The clash between Musk and the AI firm he once supported reflects broader debates about the commercialisation of artificial intelligence and the ethical boundaries of technological advancements.
Top Headlines
