"Swindler" - Musk leads blockbuster bid to buy OpenAI for $97.4bn, but Sam Altman hits back with own bid for X

Elon Musk and X
(Image credit: Getty Images)

  • Elon Musk and other investors offer to buy OpenAI for $97.4 billion
  • OpenAI CEO Sam Altman hits back with $9.74 billion X valuation
  • Others have criticized OpenAI’s plans

A group of investors led by Elon Musk has offered $97.4 billion to buy OpenAI’s nonprofit arm - but OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to hit back with a sarcastic bid offer to buy X.

Musk’s lawyer, Mac Toberoff, confirmed he submitted the bid to OpenAI’s board yesterday (via Wall Street Journal), further complicating the relationship between Musk and Altman.

The pressure adds to the already ongoing battle between the two, with Musk accusing OpenAI of betraying its nonprofit mission and partnering up with Microsoft.

Musk offers to buy OpenAI

Altman has set out plans to convert the business into a for-profit operation while splitting a $500 billion investment with the likes of Oracle and Softbank to improve AI infrastructure – something that Musk says neither OpenAI or Project Stargate’s backers can afford to do.

Meta has also complained, in the form of a letter to California’s attorney general, about the for-profit business plans.

“It’s time for OpenAI to return to the open-source, safety-focused force for good it once was,” Musk said in a statement provided by Toberoff.

Altman hastened to share with colleagues on an internal Slack channel: “Our structure ensures that no individual can take control of OpenAI…These are tactics to try and weaken us because we are making great progress.”

The OpenAI CEO also took to X, the Musk-owned social media platform, to post: “no thank you but we will buy twitter for $9.74 billion if you want.” Must replied with “Swindler,” and called his rival “Scam Altman” in another post.

It’s yet to be observed how the negotiations play out, but a possible OpenAI-xAI merger could be on the cards if the bid succeeds – an event that Altman deems highly unlikely.

You might also like

TOPICS
Craig Hale

With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Elon Musk
"They don't actually have the money" - Elon Musk slams Project Stargate, calls Sam Altman a "swindler"
OpenAI Project Stargate illustration
OpenAI signs deal with Oracle, Softbank for $500bn expansion across US
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg
Forget mega yachts, AI data centers are quickly becoming the next battleground for billionaires as Zuckerberg pledges $65 billion CAPEX spend in 2025
Glowing server racks inside a data center.
xAI could sign a $5 billion deal with Dell for thousands of servers with Nvidia's GB200 Blackwell AI GPU accelerators
Sam Altman and a smartphone.
If Sam Altman thinks OpenAI needs to raise ChatGPT prices, I might have to cancel my Plus membership
DeepSeek on an iPhone
OpenAI's Sam Altman calls DeepSeek 'impressive' but promises to launch 'much better models' soon
Latest in Pro
A person holding out their hand with a digital AI symbol.
AI is booming — but are businesses seeing real impact?
China
Notorious Chinese hackers FamousSparrow allegedly target US financial firms
A digital representation of a lock
NYU website defaced as hacker leaks info on a million students
NHS
NHS IT supplier hit with major fine following ransomware attack
A business woman looking at AI on a transparent screen
Most businesses are now fully embracing AI - but aren't always protected against the risks
Hands on a laptop with overlaid logos representing network security
Winning the war on ransomware with multi-layer security
Latest in News
An image of the Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders will start on April 2 according to Best Buy Canada
Person printing
Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 update exorcises possessed printers that spewed out pages of random characters
Pro-Ject A1.2 in black, playing a vinyl record in a hi-fi listening room
Pro-Ject's new fully-automatic turntable could be the buy of Record Store Day 2025
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet reportedly won't release until after 2026, as Neil Druckmann says that staff 'are playing it at the office' right now - but I don't think I can wait that long
Screenshot from action RPG soulslike Lies of P
Lies of P Overture won't elaborate on the game's eyebrow-raising post-credits twist, and I think that's good news
Nintendo Switch 2
The Switch 2 launching with a Mario Kart game 'is very unlike Nintendo' compared to the original Switch releasing with Breath of the Wild, says former marketing leads: 'That's what's gonna make you want to buy the new hardware'