Elon Musk has warned that he will withdraw his $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI if the organization remains a nonprofit. In a court filing on Wednesday, his lawyers stated that if OpenAI’s board commits to preserving its original nonprofit mission and stops transitioning into a for-profit company, Musk will no longer pursue the acquisition.
This statement follows Musk’s ongoing criticism of OpenAI’s direction, as he has argued that the company has strayed from its founding principles.
Musk was one of OpenAI’s co-founders but left in 2018 and has since expressed concerns about the organization’s relationship with Microsoft and its focus on profit-driven goals. His legal action aims to challenge OpenAI’s shift toward commercialization.
The case highlights growing tensions over AI development, with Musk advocating for open-source AI models and stricter regulatory oversight. It remains unclear how OpenAI’s board will respond to Musk’s latest demand.