Elon Musk asked Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to help bankroll a multibillion-dollar bid to take over OpenAI earlier this year, according to court filings reported by CNBC.
The request surfaced in documents filed as part of Musk’s ongoing legal battle with OpenAI in federal court in Northern California. Musk co-founded the artificial intelligence lab as a non-profit in 2015 alongside Sam Altman, but the two have since become enemies over the company’s shift toward a for-profit model and its deep ties with Microsoft.
According to the filings, Musk and his AI startup xAI circulated a letter of intent in February to potential backers, including Zuckerberg, “about potential financing arrangements or investments” for a proposed $97.4-billion US takeover. The filing noted that Meta declined to sign the document.
The court case stems from Musk’s 2023 launch of xAI and his lawsuit against OpenAI, which accused the company of abandoning its original mission. Earlier this summer, a judge cleared the way for OpenAI to move forward with counterclaims.
In its response, OpenAI alleged Musk’s offer to buy the company amounted to a “sham bid” that disrupted its operations. The company also accused Musk of trying to damage its business through lawsuits, social media posts and public criticism.
OpenAI is now seeking records from Meta and Zuckerberg about the approach, issuing a subpoena for related communications. Meta has pushed back, calling the requests too broad and arguing that OpenAI should instead obtain documents directly from Musk and xAI.
The filings also noted Meta’s own aggressive push into AI, with spending in the billions and pay packages topping $100 million for top researchers, along with attempts to lure talent from OpenAI. Meta has been successful in luring away Apple’s talent, however.
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