Elon Musk approached Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg with a $97.4 billion (€84 billion) bid for OpenAI earlier this year. However, Zuckerberg refused to join the attempt to take over the ChatGPT creator, according to court documents.
OpenAI revealed in a court document on Thursday that Musk contacted Zuckerberg about possible financing arrangements for his OpenAI bid. According to OpenAI, the Tesla CEO discussed his communications with the Meta boss about the company during sworn testimony.
The company is now asking a federal judge to compel Meta to release documents related to bids for OpenAI. It also wants insight into communications about restructuring or recapitalizing the AI startup.
Ambitious takeover plans
“Meta’s communications with other bidders, or internal communications, including those reflecting discussions with Musk or other bidders, would also shed light on the motivations for the bid,” OpenAI said. The company cites Musk and Meta as two of its main competitors.
However, Meta refuses. The tech company states in the same court document that OpenAI should request relevant documents directly from Musk and his AI startup.
The disclosure sheds new light on Musk’s ambitious plans to take over OpenAI. Before the takeover, the consortium led by the xAI owner was prepared to pay a record €97.4 billion.
The revelation about Zuckerberg’s role stems from a broader legal battle. In August, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Musk must answer for OpenAI’s allegations. The company accuses the billionaire of damaging OpenAI through press statements, social media posts, and legal claims.
Musk filed a lawsuit last year against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman over the switch to a for-profit model. OpenAI responded in April with a countersuit. The legal battle will culminate in a jury trial scheduled for spring 2026.