The clash between tech titans Sam Altman and Elon Musk has intensified, with OpenAI rejecting a $97.4 billion acquisition offer from Musk and filing a lawsuit against him.
OpenAI has accused Musk of running a “malicious campaign” to disrupt the company’s operations. This includes public criticism to Musk’s 200 million followers on X, legal threats, and what OpenAI calls a “sham bid” to buy the company—all of which it claims are attempts to slow down OpenAI’s progress and benefit Musk’s competing AI company, xAI, founded in 2023.
Originally co-founded by Musk and Altman in 2015 as a non-profit, OpenAI later transitioned to a capped-profit model to secure up to $40 billion in funding, which it says is crucial to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Musk opposed this shift and earlier filed a lawsuit, claiming the company had strayed from its original mission to serve humanity.
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Altman reportedly responded to Musk’s unsolicited offer with a firm “no thank you,” reaffirming that OpenAI is not for sale. In its counterclaims, OpenAI is asking the court to bar Musk from further interference and to hold him accountable for damages already caused.
The company believes Musk is trying to gain control of its AI advancements and deliberately hinder its development for personal gain.
Musk’s legal team has yet to comment on the latest filing. With a jury trial scheduled for spring 2026, the outcome of this legal battle could significantly influence the future direction of artificial intelligence.
