OpenAI presses Meta for records on Musk’s $97B bid

OpenAI is asking a court to force Meta to provide documents about any coordination with Elon Musk and xAI over a proposed acquisition or investment in the ChatGPT-maker. In a brief filed Thursday, OpenAI said it subpoenaed Meta in June for records related to Musk’s unsolicited $97 billion takeover bid from February, as well as any discussions about financing or investment tied to OpenAI’s offer. OpenAI ultimately rejected Musk’s bid, and it remains unclear whether the requested documents exist. Meta objected to the subpoena in July, prompting OpenAI to seek a court order. The filing also asks for Meta’s communications about any restructuring or recapitalization of OpenAI—the central issue in Musk’s lawsuit challenging OpenAI’s conversion of its for-profit arm into a public benefit corporation. That corporate shift, which OpenAI says is needed to raise capital and potentially go public, is opposed by Musk, an OpenAI cofounder and early backer, who argues it conflicts with the company’s original mission. A Meta spokesperson pointed to a passage in OpenAI’s filing noting that neither Meta nor CEO Mark Zuckerberg signed Musk’s letter of intent. Meta declined further comment. OpenAI and attorneys for Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The dispute unfolds as Meta races to advance its own AI ambitions. Court filings in another case showed Meta leaders in 2023 fixated on surpassing OpenAI’s GPT-4, yet by early 2025 Meta’s models had slipped behind industry leaders. In recent months, Zuckerberg has intensified efforts by hiring top OpenAI researchers—among them ChatGPT co-creator Shengjia Zhao, now leading Meta’s new Superintelligence Labs—investing $14 billion in Scale AI, and exploring acquisitions of other AI labs. While the depth of any Musk-Zuckerberg talks is unknown, the inquiry highlights how seriously rivals view OpenAI’s position. Meta’s lawyers have asked the court to reject OpenAI’s request, saying Musk and xAI can supply relevant information and that Meta’s internal discussions about OpenAI’s structure are not pertinent to the case.