NAIROBI, Kenya- Elon Musk is back in the headlines—this time with a jaw-dropping $97.4 billion offer to take over the nonprofit that controls OpenAI.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk’s attorney, Marc Toberoff, formally submitted the bid to OpenAI’s board, marking another twist in the ongoing feud between Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Altman, never one to back down from a public spat, swiftly dismissed the offer with a sarcastic post on X (formerly Twitter):
“No thank you, but we will buy Twitter for $9.74 billion if you want.”
no thank you but we will buy twitter for $9.74 billion if you want
Musk, who famously bought Twitter for $44 billion in 2022, shot back with a one-word response: “Swindler.”
The exchange underscores a rivalry that has been heating up for years—one that could reshape the future of artificial intelligence and the industry’s biggest players.
The Musk-Altman Feud: From Co-Founders to Competitors
Musk helped co-found OpenAI in 2015, envisioning a future where AI development would remain open and transparent.
But by 2018, he had parted ways with the company, citing disagreements over its direction.
Since then, OpenAI has skyrocketed to the top of the AI world with its wildly popular ChatGPT, while Musk has launched his own generative AI venture, xAI.
The rivalry took a legal turn in recent months, with Musk filing lawsuits against OpenAI, accusing the company of abandoning its nonprofit mission in favor of profit-driven interests.
OpenAI, for its part, recently announced plans to transition into a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation, aiming to balance corporate interests with social impact.
This restructuring move could explain Musk’s aggressive bid—it’s a direct challenge to OpenAI’s evolving business model.
Trump, AI, and the $500B ‘Stargate’ Project
Adding another layer to the drama is former U.S. President Donald Trump. In January, Trump unveiled “Stargate,” an AI infrastructure initiative backed by SoftBank, Oracle, and OpenAI, promising to pump $500 billion into U.S. AI development.
The project’s launch featured industry heavyweights like Altman, Oracle’s Larry Ellison, and SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son.
Musk, however, was quick to cast doubt on the initiative, suggesting the funding wasn’t as solid as advertised.
The skepticism marked a rare public split between Musk and Trump, despite Musk having contributed $270 million to Trump’s election campaign.
One thing is certain—this battle is far from over. With Musk, Altman, and Trump all in the mix, the AI industry is heading for an even more explosive 2025.
