Why Did Elon Musk Offer $97.4 Billion for OpenAI?
Elon Musk is shaking things up again. This time, he’s made an unsolicited $97.4 billion bid to take over OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, claiming he wants to restore it to its original mission of open-source, safety-focused AI. But OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, isn’t having it—he rejected the offer immediately and fired back with a joke, saying he’d be happy to buy X (formerly known as Twitter) from Musk for $9.74 billion.
no thank you but we will buy twitter for $9.74 billion if you want
— Sam Altman (@sama) February 10, 2025
This is just the latest chapter in a long-running feud between the two. Back in 2015, Musk and Altman co-founded OpenAI with other big names in tech. But by 2019, things soured when Musk tried (and failed) to take majority control. He left, and ever since, he’s been criticizing OpenAI’s direction, claiming it’s drifted away from its mission of benefiting humanity and raising concerns about the dangers of artificial general intelligence (AGI).
“I wish he would just compete by building a better product,” Sam Altman says of @elonmusk in an interview with @TomMackenzieTV.
“Probably his whole life is from a position of insecurity, I feel for the guy… I don’t think he’s, like, a happy person.” pic.twitter.com/YhUmmW5iNe
— annmarie hordern (@annmarie) February 11, 2025
So, what’s Musk really up to? Some believe he’s genuinely pushing for open-source AI, which would give developers and companies more flexibility. Others think this is just a ploy to slow OpenAI down while his own AI company, xAI, catches up. Either way, his bid complicates Altman’s plan to transition OpenAI into a for-profit company—something Musk says he’ll back off from if OpenAI abandons that move.
Sam Altman emails Elon Musk
May 25, 2015 pic.twitter.com/L1F5bMkqkd
— Internal Tech Emails (@TechEmails) November 15, 2024
For now, Altman has rejected the offer, but OpenAI’s nonprofit board is legally required to at least consider it. And knowing Musk, he’s not walking away quietly. Whether he’s making a power play or just stirring the pot, one thing’s for sure—the AI industry is in for a wild ride.
Scam Altman
pic.twitter.com/j9EXIqBZ8u— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 10, 2025
