Elon Musk asked Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to join xAI bid to buy OpenAI, filing shows

Elon Musk, the wealthiest individual globally, reportedly approached Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, for assistance in financing a staggering $97.4 billion acquisition of OpenAI, according to recent court filings. This revelation is part of an ongoing legal dispute between Musk and OpenAI that commenced last year in a federal court in Northern California. The legal proceedings have taken a significant turn, as a judge has allowed OpenAI to proceed with counterclaims against Musk. Musk, one of OpenAI's co-founders alongside Sam Altman in 2015, expressed his frustration when OpenAI announced plans to transition into a for-profit organization earlier this year. This development has fueled tensions between Musk and Altman, who were once close allies but have since become fierce rivals, especially with OpenAI emerging as a frontrunner in generative AI backed by substantial funding from Microsoft. In 2023, Musk founded xAI, aiming to establish it as a direct competitor to OpenAI. His grievances led him to initiate legal action against OpenAI, alleging a breach of contract and opposing its shift to a for-profit model. In response, OpenAI has claimed that Musk's bid was a mere facade that negatively impacted its operations, accusing him of harassment through various legal and public channels. As part of its legal strategy, OpenAI has sought to subpoena Meta for any communications relating to Musk's acquisition proposal. The court documents indicate that Musk and xAI attempted to rally a group of investors, including Zuckerberg, by presenting a letter of intent discussing potential financing options. However, the filing clarifies that neither Zuckerberg nor Meta proceeded to sign the letter. In a statement regarding the matter, OpenAI highlighted Meta's significant investment in developing its own AI capabilities, including lucrative offers exceeding $100 million to attract top AI talent and efforts to recruit OpenAI employees. Meanwhile, Meta has criticized OpenAI's document requests as excessively demanding, suggesting that OpenAI should instead pursue communications from Musk and xAI for relevant information.