OpenAI countersues Elon Musk over 'fake takeover bid'
What's the story
OpenAI has launched a countersuit against Elon Musk, accusing him of using "bad-faith tactics to slow down" the company and "seize control of the leading AI innovations for his personal benefit." The lawsuit comes after Musk's earlier suit last year, where he sought to redirect the company toward its mission of developing AGI for humanity's benefit, not profit.
Legal history
Musk's history with OpenAI and the latest lawsuit
Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, first filed a lawsuit against the organization last spring. He refiled in August after dropping an earlier case in June. In December, OpenAI published a blog post titled "Elon Musk wanted an OpenAI for-profit," offering evidence of his intent to profit from the company. The upcoming trial is set for spring 2026.
Rejected offer
Musk's $97.4 billion takeover offer rejected
Earlier this year, Musk had proposed a $97.4 billion takeover of OpenAI, claiming that "it's time for OpenAI to return to the open-source, safety-focused force for good it once was." OpenAI's board of directors, however, had unanimously rejected his offer. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman even offered to buy Twitter (now X) from Musk. The recent filing by OpenAI described this proposal as a "sham bid."