Elon Musk's $97B OpenAI Takeover Bid: Meta's Potential Involvement and Legal Implications

OpenAI lawyers question Meta's role in Elon Musk's $97B takeover bid | TechCrunch

OpenAI is asking Meta to produce evidence related to any coordination with Elon Musk and xAI to acquire or invest in the ChatGPT-maker. The request was made public in a brief filed Thursday in Elon Musk's ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI. Lawyers representing OpenAI said they subpoenaed Meta in June over its potential involvement in Musk's unsolicited, $97 billion bid to takeover the startup in February. It's unclear from the filing whether such documents and communications exist. OpenAI's lawyers say they discovered that Musk communicated with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg concerning xAI's bid to purchase the ChatGPT-maker, including "about potential financing arrangements or investments." Meta objected to OpenAI's initial subpoena in July; the ChatGPT-maker's lawyers are now seeking a court order to obtain such evidence. OpenAI is also asking the court for any of Meta's documents and communications related to "any actual or potential restructuring or recapitalization of OpenAI" -- the core issue in Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI. In the background of OpenAI's fight with Elon Musk, Meta has significantly invested in its own efforts to develop frontier AI models. That effort has included poaching several of OpenAI's leading AI researchers, including a co-creator of ChatGPT, Shengjia Zhao, who now leads research efforts at Meta Superintelligence Labs, the company newest AI unit. Meta also invested $14 billion in Scale AI, and reported approached several other AI labs about acquisition deals. Lawyers representing Meta asked the court to reject OpenAI's request for evidence, arguing that Musk and xAI can provide any relevant information. Meta also argues that its internal discussions of OpenAI's restructuring and recapitalization are not relevant to the case.

Musk Tried to Enlist Zuckerberg to Help Finance OpenAI Bid

Elon Musk tried to enlist Mark Zuckerberg for his unsolicited bid to buy OpenAI this year for almost $100 billion, the startup said in a court filing. OpenAI said Musk identified Zuckerberg, the chief executive officer of Meta Platforms Inc., as one of the people with whom he had communicated about potentially financing a deal to purchase the ChatGPT maker. Neither Zuckerberg nor Meta signed the letter of intent or participated in the $97.4 billion bid, OpenAI said in the filing. OpenAI's board formally rejected Musk's bid in February. Bloomberg News AI Reporter Rachel Metz joins Bloomberg Businessweek Daily to discuss Musk's OpenAI bid, Apple's potential Google AI partnership, and the US government's stake in Intel. (Source: Bloomberg)

Musk sought Zuckerberg help for OpenAI bid, court filing shows

Aug 22 (Reuters) - Elon Musk tried to enlist rival Mark Zuckerberg for the $97.4 billion bid that his consortium made for OpenAI earlier this year, but the CEO of Meta Platforms (META.O), opens new tab did not come on board, OpenAI said in a court filing on Thursday. OpenAI, the owner of ChatGPT, said Musk had communicated with Zuckerberg about potential financing arrangements or investments in connection with his OpenAI bid, according to the court filing. OpenAI said Musk had disclosed his communications with Zuckerberg about the company during sworn interrogations. Musk, whose xAI competes with OpenAI, could not immediately be reached for comment. xAI did not respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. OpenAI requested a federal judge to order Meta to produce documents and communications related to any bid for OpenAI, and those "concerning any actual or potential restructuring or recapitalization of OpenAI." "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, calling Musk and Meta two of its most significant competitors. Meta, in the same court filing, said OpenAI should seek any relevant documents directly from Musk and his AI startup, and asked the judge to deny OpenAI's motion. "Meta's own communications concerning OpenAI's restructuring or recapitalization (even as narrowed) are not relevant to this action," Meta added in the court filing. Earlier in August, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Musk must face OpenAI's claims that the billionaire, through press statements, social media posts, legal claims and "a sham bid for OpenAI's assets," attempted to harm the AI startup. Tesla boss Musk sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman last year over the company's transition to a for-profit model, after which OpenAI counter-sued Musk in April this year. A jury trial has been scheduled for spring 2026. Reporting by Harshita Meenaktshi and Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru Editing by Mark Potter Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab * Suggested Topics: * Artificial Intelligence * ADAS, AV & Safety * Partnerships & M&A * Software-Defined Vehicle * Sustainable & EV Supply Chain

Musk's lawyers try to stop OpenAI obtaining bid documents from Meta, filing shows

Aug 27 (Reuters) - Lawyers for Elon Musk have asked a U.S. judge to block ChatGPT-owner OpenAI from obtaining documents from Meta Platforms (META.O), opens new tab related to a previous $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI's assets, a court filing showed. OpenAI said last week Musk had tried to enlist his rival Mark Zuckerberg in his bid for the AI company earlier this year, but that the Meta boss did not come on board. OpenAI then requested the judge to order Meta to produce documents and communications related to any bid for the company. Meta asked the judge to deny the request, saying it should seek relevant documents directly from Musk and his AI startup xAI. In a filing late on Tuesday, Musk's lawyers said OpenAI had already received documents related to the bid from him and his AI startup. They added that OpenAI's "expansive discovery" was irrelevant to the current phase of the trial. However, lawyers for OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman asked the judge to reject Musk's assertions and said they were not seeking "expansive" and "sprawling" discovery and that the relevant requests for documents were targeted and "span weeks, not years." "Plaintiffs have sought to explain the absence of bid-related documents by representing that their communications were primarily oral. If that is true, then the need for depositions - of Musk, an xAI representative, and other co-bidders - is even more acute," they wrote. Earlier in August, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Musk must face OpenAI's claims that the billionaire, through press statements, social media posts, legal claims and "a sham bid for OpenAI's assets," had attempted to harm the AI startup. Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab boss Musk sued Microsoft-backed (MSFT.O), opens new tab OpenAI and Altman last year over the company's transition to a for-profit model, after which OpenAI counter-sued Musk in April this year. A jury trial has been scheduled for spring 2026. Reporting by Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Helen Popper Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab * Suggested Topics: * Artificial Intelligence * ADAS, AV & Safety * Software-Defined Vehicle * Sustainable & EV Supply Chain

Elon Musk tried to enlist Mark Zuckerberg in $100bn bid for OpenAI

Elon Musk attempted to enlist Mark Zuckerberg in his near-$100bn bid to take control of OpenAI this year, according to a court filing, in what would have been a rare alliance between two billionaires who have previously challenged each other to a "cage fight". In response to legal questioning, Musk told OpenAI he had communicated with the Meta chief executive about potentially helping to finance a $97.4bn bid for the ChatGPT maker in February, the filing said. Neither Zuckerberg nor Meta signed a letter of intent to join, according to the filing. Any potential partnership between Musk and Zuckerberg would stand in stark contrast to previous interactions in 2023, when the pair taunted each other online, going as far as trying to arrange a physical fight, after Zuckerberg launched Threads as a rival to Musk's X. Meta and OpenAI declined to comment. Musk did not respond to a request for comment. The news comes as Musk, Zuckerberg and OpenAI chief Sam Altman have been locked in a battle for artificial intelligence talent, attempting to poach each others' top researchers in the race to build the next generation of AI models. Musk was a co-founder of OpenAI and invested tens of millions of dollars in the fledgling company before leaving its board in 2018 and starting his own group, xAI, in 2023. In February, he made a bid for OpenAI, first by attempting to force an auction of the non-profit entity that has ultimate control over the business, and then offering to buy it outright. The bid had the backing of longtime Musk investors including Valor Equity Partners, Baron Capital, Atreides Management, Vy Capital, 8VC and well known media executive Ari Emanuel, as well as Musk's own company xAI. It was rebuffed immediately by OpenAI and dismissed as a publicity stunt by people close to the company. Musk has long criticised OpenAI's attempt to convert to a for-profit company, saying it betrayed the group's founding mission. Last year, he launched a lawsuit to block the move. OpenAI has since watered down those plans, leaving its non-profit board in control of a for-profit subsidiary. In the court filing, part of Musk's ongoing lawsuit, OpenAI called on the court to compel Meta to hand over documents related to the communications with Musk. OpenAI also noted that Meta had been "spending heavily" to develop its own AI capabilities, including offering pay packages of $100mn or more to leading AI researchers from OpenAI and elsewhere. Meta asked the court to deny OpenAI's request, noting that Meta never joined the bid.

Elon Musk asked Mark Zuckerberg to join OpenAI bid

Elon Musk asked Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to get involved in the xAI CEO's bid for OpenAI, court filings from Thursday showed. OpenAI states in the filing that Musk had spoken with Zuckerberg about his letter of intent to buy OpenAI, more specifically asking the Meta CEO "about potential financing arrangements or investments." It added that neither Zuckerberg nor his company signed the letter of intent. Back in February, a group of investors led by Musk made a bid to buy the nonprofit controlling OpenAI for $97.4 billion. "OpenAI is not for sale," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in response to Axios during the AI Action Summit in Paris. "OpenAI's mission is not for sale -- to say nothing of the fact that a competitor who is not able to beat us in the market and you know, instead is just trying to say, 'I'm gonna buy this' with total disregard for the mission is a likely path there." OpenAI is asking the court to order Meta to produce documents that it says is "relevant to [its] defenses," including "responsive communications" or "reflecting discussions or coordination" Meta has had with Musk. Plus, it's requesting "documents and communications related to any actual or contemplated bid to acquire OpenAI or any of its assets," which include Meta's discussions with other bidders and internal communication. In its statement, OpenAI said it served Meta with a subpoena on June 18, after which Meta served responses and objections on July 2. The AI startup said it "conferred on four occasions" with Meta about its response. OpenAI said its request from the court is aligned with the court's July 9 order that discovery related to Musk's bid and the letter of intent "is relevant to phase 1 issues...because Musk's bid may be inconsistent with Plaintiffs' phase 1 theories of liability." Meta said in the filing that the court should reject OpenAI's request because it said the AI startup should obtain the documents it wants "directly from plaintiffs" -- which is Musk -- "rather than imposing that burden on non-party Meta." It added that any documents OpenAI wants that "plaintiffs do not have" are "not relevant." Regarding OpenAI's request for internal communications, Meta said "it is difficult to see how any communications by any Meta employee are at all relevant." OpenAI said in the filing that "Meta's objections are meritless." -- Britney Nguyen contributed to this article.

Elon Musk tried to court Mark Zuckerberg to help him finance xAI's attempted $98 billion OpenAI takeover, court filing shows

There's apparently some truth to the saying, "The enemy of your enemy is your friend." Elon Musk approached Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg earlier this year, asking him to help finance xAI's bid to buy Sam Altman's OpenAI, according to a court filing released Thursday. The call for help came after a long history of tension between the tech superstars. After founding OpenAI with Altman in 2015, Musk has taken issue with OpenAI's closed-source model and its push to become a for-profit entity. Thursday's filing is part of an ongoing lawsuit Musk filed against OpenAI in federal court in Northern California in August 2024, alleging OpenAI breached its initial contract by favoring business interests over its initial commitment to benefitting humanity. Musk doubled down on efforts that were interpreted to prevent OpenAI from rapid growth, making an unsolicited attempt to buy the company for $97.4 billion in February. Beyond the OpenAI board unanimously rejecting the offer, OpenAI called the effort a "sham bid" designed to impede on the company's funding efforts. Earlier this month, a judge allowed OpenAI to move forward with counter claims against Musk. On Thursday as part of the claims, OpenAI said in a statement to the court that Musk had approached Zuckerberg regarding a letter of intent "about potentially financial arrangements or investors" in a bid for a hostile takeover of OpenAI. Neither Meta nor Zuckerberg signed the letter of intent, according to the filing. The filing also subpoenaed Meta to disclose documentation of correspondence with Musk or xAI regarding an intent to buy the startup. Beyond feeling as though OpenAI strayed from the mission he helped create for it, Musk had other reasons to want to best the company. He left the startup's board in 2018, the year before Microsoft pumped $1 billion into the company. Months after Microsoft announced another $10 billion investment into OpenAI in 2023, Musk unveiled xAI as an alternative to ChatGPT. "I don't disagree necessarily with his viewpoint that the restructuring of OpenAI as a for profit company is probably not good for humanity," Amelia Martella, adjunct professor and executive director of Fordham University's Corporate Law Center, told Fortune. "At the same time, he is probably looking to control all of the successful AI companies. So there's a mixed motive for sure." Meta, on the other hand, has carried out its own campaign to gain the edge over OpenAI, restructuring its AI division with a focus on building a superintelligence team and poaching key AI architects, including former OpenAI employees. According to Altman, Meta offered $100 million signing bonuses to recruit talent from its rival. Musk's own apparent approach of Zuckerberg in his bid for OpenAI defies nearly a decade of hostility between the two tech founders, beginning in 2016 when a SpaceX rocket struck and destroyed a Facebook satellite. The beef continued through last year, when Musk challenged Zuckerberg to a cage match. Meta objected to the request for documents as "overly burdensome," according to the filing. "Meta's documents can hold no evidence of 'coordination' with Musk, or of Meta's purported attempt to purchase OpenAI, or of any other relevant information when Meta did not join Musk's bid," Meta's statement in the court filing said. "Meta's communications (if any) with entities that did join the bid also hold little to no relevance, and in any event, should be sought from those entities, not Meta, which did not participate." Meta and Musk's attorney Marc Toberoff did not respond to Fortune's request for comment. Meta will likely try to narrow the scope of the subpoena because it takes effort and time to turn over documentation, and because the company may feel OpenAI's grievances should remain with Musk, Martella said. "Musk is leading the charge here. That's not surprising," she said. "We don't know what [Meta's] role is here and how far along in the process they've gotten, so they may just not want to be bother fully responding to subpoenas when they have not really been the one leading the charge."

Musk approached Zuckerberg in bid to acquire OpenAI

OpenAI accuses Musk of launching a sham bid and harassment while subpoenaing Meta for communications tied to the alleged proposal. Elon Musk, the founder of xAI, solicited Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to financially support a $97.4 billion acquisition of OpenAI in early 2025, according to recent court filings. These documents surfaced as part of an ongoing legal dispute between Musk and OpenAI. The legal proceedings are taking place in a federal court located in Northern California. A judge permitted OpenAI to proceed with counterclaims against Musk, who initially co-founded OpenAI as a non-profit organization in 2015 alongside Sam Altman and others. The contention arose when Musk opposed the transformation of OpenAI into a for-profit entity, a move spearheaded by Altman, the company's CEO. The relationship between Altman and Musk, once characterized by friendship, deteriorated as OpenAI gained prominence in generative AI, bolstered by substantial funding from Microsoft. Musk subsequently established xAI in 2023, aiming to create a direct competitor to OpenAI. Later, Musk initiated legal action against OpenAI, alleging breach of contract and seeking to prevent the company's conversion to a for-profit model. OpenAI's counterclaims assert that Musk and xAI's "sham bid" negatively impacted its business. The counterclaims further allege that Musk has engaged in "harassment" through litigation, social media activity, and press statements. In support of its claims, OpenAI has subpoenaed Meta, seeking access to communications between Meta, Zuckerberg, and Musk concerning the proposed acquisition. OpenAI stated that Musk and xAI approached Zuckerberg with a letter of intent, inquiring "about potential financing arrangements or investments" to form an investor consortium for the takeover. The filing indicates that neither Zuckerberg nor Meta formally signed the letter of intent. A Meta spokesperson declined to comment on the matter, and Marc Toberoff, Musk's legal representative, did not respond to requests for comment. The court filing also suggests that Meta has been "spending heavily to develop its own AI capabilities" and has been "offering pay packages of $100 million or more to leading AI researchers and attempting to poach OpenAI employees." Meta has contested OpenAI's document requests, deeming them "overly burdensome." Meta has proposed that OpenAI should instead seek relevant communications directly from Musk and xAI.

Musk Sought Zuckerberg Help for OpenAI Bid, Court Filing Shows

(Reuters) -Elon Musk tried to enlist rival Mark Zuckerberg for the $97.4 billion bid that his consortium made for OpenAI earlier this year, but the CEO of Meta Platforms did not come on board, OpenAI said in a court filing on Thursday. OpenAI, the owner of ChatGPT, said Musk had communicated with Zuckerberg about potential financing arrangements or investments in connection with his OpenAI bid, according to the court filing. OpenAI said Musk had disclosed his communications with Zuckerberg about the company during sworn interrogations. Musk, whose xAI competes with OpenAI, could not immediately be reached for comment. xAI did not respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. OpenAI requested a federal judge to order Meta to produce documents and communications related to any bid for OpenAI, and those "concerning any actual or potential restructuring or recapitalization of OpenAI." "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, calling Musk and Meta two of its most significant competitors. Meta, in the same court filing, said OpenAI should seek any relevant documents directly from Musk and his AI startup, and asked the judge to deny OpenAI's motion. "Meta's own communications concerning OpenAI's restructuring or recapitalization (even as narrowed) are not relevant to this action," Meta added in the court filing. Earlier in August, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Musk must face OpenAI's claims that the billionaire, through press statements, social media posts, legal claims and "a sham bid for OpenAI's assets," attempted to harm the AI startup. Tesla boss Musk sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman last year over the company's transition to a for-profit model, after which OpenAI counter-sued Musk in April this year. A jury trial has been scheduled for spring 2026. (Reporting by Harshita Meenaktshi and Shubham Kalia in BengaluruEditing by Mark Potter)

Musk's Lawyers Try to Stop OpenAI Obtaining Bid Documents From Meta, Filing Shows

(Reuters) -Lawyers for Elon Musk have asked a U.S. judge to block ChatGPT-owner OpenAI from obtaining documents from Meta Platforms related to a previous $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI's assets, a court filing showed. OpenAI said last week Musk had tried to enlist his rival Mark Zuckerberg in his bid for the AI company earlier this year, but that the Meta boss did not come on board. OpenAI then requested the judge to order Meta to produce documents and communications related to any bid for the company. Meta asked the judge to deny the request, saying it should seek relevant documents directly from Musk and his AI startup xAI. In a filing late on Tuesday, Musk's lawyers said OpenAI had already received documents related to the bid from him and his AI startup. They added that OpenAI's "expansive discovery" was irrelevant to the current phase of the trial. However, lawyers for OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman asked the judge to reject Musk's assertions and said they were not seeking "expansive" and "sprawling" discovery and that the relevant requests for documents were targeted and "span weeks, not years." "Plaintiffs have sought to explain the absence of bid-related documents by representing that their communications were primarily oral. If that is true, then the need for depositions - of Musk, an xAI representative, and other co-bidders - is even more acute," they wrote. Earlier in August, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Musk must face OpenAI's claims that the billionaire, through press statements, social media posts, legal claims and "a sham bid for OpenAI's assets," had attempted to harm the AI startup. Tesla boss Musk sued Microsoft-backed OpenAI and Altman last year over the company's transition to a for-profit model, after which OpenAI counter-sued Musk in April this year. A jury trial has been scheduled for spring 2026. (Reporting by Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru;Editing by Helen Popper)

Musk Sought Zuckerberg Help for OpenAI Bid, Court Filing Shows

* Musk's consortium bid $97.4 billion for OpenAI earlier this year * OpenAI counter-sued Musk in April this year * Elon Musk's xAI competes with OpenAI Elon Musk tried to enlist rival Mark Zuckerberg for the $97.4 billion bid that his consortium made for OpenAI earlier this year, but the CEO of Meta Platforms did not come on board, OpenAI said in a court filing on Thursday. OpenAI, the owner of ChatGPT, said Musk had communicated with Zuckerberg about potential financing arrangements or investments in connection with his OpenAI bid, according to the court filing. OpenAI said Musk had disclosed his communications with Zuckerberg about the company during sworn interrogations. Musk, whose xAI competes with OpenAI, could not immediately be reached for comment. xAI did not respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. OpenAI requested a federal judge to order Meta to produce documents and communications related to any bid for OpenAI, and those "concerning any actual or potential restructuring or recapitalization of OpenAI." "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, calling Musk and Meta two of its most significant competitors. Meta, in the same court filing, said OpenAI should seek any relevant documents directly from Musk and his AI startup, and asked the judge to deny OpenAI's motion. "Meta's own communications concerning OpenAI's restructuring or recapitalization (even as narrowed) are not relevant to this action," Meta added in the court filing. Earlier in August, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Musk must face OpenAI's claims that the billionaire, through press statements, social media posts, legal claims and "a sham bid for OpenAI's assets," attempted to harm the AI startup. Tesla boss Musk sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman last year over the company's transition to a for-profit model, after which OpenAI counter-sued Musk in April this year. A jury trial has been scheduled for spring 2026.

Elon Musk Asked Mark Zuckerberg to Join OpenAI Buying Bid, According to Court Filings

The paperwork was never signed by Zuckerberg, according to reports. In August 2023, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg were fighting on X and making plans for an IRL "cage match" brawl. Two years later, it was revealed that the billionaires could have become business partners. According to court documents seen by CNBC, Musk asked Zuckerberg to help him buy OpenAI in an early 2025 takeover bid for $97.4 billion, the outlet reported late Thursday. OpenAI said that when Musk and xAI were "trying to form a consortium of investors to finance a takeover," they approached Zuckerberg with a letter of intent. Related: Sam Altman Says Elon Musk Is 'Clearly a Bully' Who Likes to Get in Fights with Rivals In February, Elon Musk made the surprise offer to buy OpenAI and its assets, but Altman turned him down. When asked about the bid that month at the Paris AI Action Summit, Altman told Bloomberg: "Elon tries all sorts of things. I think he's probably just trying to slow us down." The filing is part of an ongoing court battle, which was initiated last year by Musk, who helped cofound OpenAI but left in early 2018 after clashing with Altman. He has since filed lawsuits against Altman and OpenAI, accusing them of undoing the founding principles of the non-profit company by working to maximize profits for Microsoft, a key investor that's poured billions into the company. OpenAI has filed a counterclaims case, which a judge recently said can continue. Related: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Thinks We're in an AI Bubble Because Investors Are 'Overexcited' About Artificial Intelligence Musk started a rival AI company, xAI, in 2023. The statement in the filing also noted that Meta is "spending heavily" in its own AI research and has been "offering pay packages of $100 million or more to leading AI researchers and attempting to poach OpenAI employees." The number of court filings is vast: In November 2024, xAI also filed a separate, 107-page complaint against OpenAI, accusing the ChatGPT-maker of "aggressively recruiting employees with offers of lavish compensation" and spending "$1.5 billion on personnel for just 1,500 employees." Musk is the richest person in the world, with $364 billion at press time, while Zuckerberg is No. 3, with $260 billion, per Bloomberg's Billionaires Index. Maybe the next cage match will be a tag team.

Elon Musk Sought Mark Zuckerberg's Help For OpenAI Bid, Court Filing Shows

Aug 22 (Reuters) - Elon Musk tried to enlist rival Mark Zuckerberg for the $97.4 billion bid that his consortium made for OpenAI earlier this year, but the CEO of Meta Platforms did not come on board, OpenAI said in a court filing on Thursday. OpenAI, the owner of ChatGPT, said Musk had communicated with Zuckerberg about potential financing arrangements or investments in connection with his OpenAI bid, according to the court filing. OpenAI said Musk had disclosed his communications with Zuckerberg about the company during sworn interrogations. Musk, whose xAI competes with OpenAI, could not immediately be reached for comment. xAI did not respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. OpenAI requested a federal judge to order Meta to produce documents and communications related to any bid for OpenAI, and those "concerning any actual or potential restructuring or recapitalization of OpenAI." "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, calling Musk and Meta two of its most significant competitors. Meta, in the same court filing, said OpenAI should seek any relevant documents directly from Musk and his AI startup, and asked the judge to deny OpenAI's motion. "Meta's own communications concerning OpenAI's restructuring or recapitalization (even as narrowed) are not relevant to this action," Meta added in the court filing. Earlier in August, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Musk must face OpenAI's claims that the billionaire, through press statements, social media posts, legal claims and "a sham bid for OpenAI's assets," attempted to harm the AI startup. Tesla boss Musk sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman last year over the company's transition to a for-profit model, after which OpenAI counter-sued Musk in April this year. A jury trial has been scheduled for spring 2026.

Musk sought Zuckerberg help for OpenAI bid, court filing shows - The Economic Times

Elon Musk tried to enlist rival Mark Zuckerberg for the $97.4 billion bid that his consortium made for OpenAI earlier this year, but the CEO of Meta Platforms did not come on board, OpenAI said in a court filing on Thursday. OpenAI, the owner of ChatGPT, said Musk had communicated with Zuckerberg about potential financing arrangements or investments in connection with his OpenAI bid, according to the court filing. OpenAI said Musk had disclosed his communications with Zuckerberg about the company during sworn interrogations. Musk, whose xAI competes with OpenAI, could not immediately be reached for comment. xAI did not respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. OpenAI requested a federal judge to order Meta to produce documents and communications related to any bid for OpenAI, and those "concerning any actual or potential restructuring or recapitalization of OpenAI." "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, calling Musk and Meta two of its most significant competitors. Meta, in the same court filing, said OpenAI should seek any relevant documents directly from Musk and his AI startup, and asked the judge to deny OpenAI's motion. "Meta's own communications concerning OpenAI's restructuring or recapitalization (even as narrowed) are not relevant to this action," Meta added in the court filing. Earlier in August, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Musk must face OpenAI's claims that the billionaire, through press statements, social media posts, legal claims and "a sham bid for OpenAI's assets," attempted to harm the AI startup. Tesla boss Musk sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman last year over the company's transition to a for-profit model, after which OpenAI counter-sued Musk in April this year. A jury trial has been scheduled for spring 2026.

Elon Musk's lawyers try to stop OpenAI obtaining bid documents from Meta, filing shows - The Economic Times

Lawyers for Elon Musk have asked a U.S. judge to block ChatGPT-owner OpenAI from obtaining documents from Meta Platforms related to a previous $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI's assets, a court filing showed. OpenAI said last week Musk had tried to enlist his rival Mark Zuckerberg in his bid for the AI company earlier this year, but that the Meta boss did not come on board. OpenAI then requested the judge to order Meta to produce documents and communications related to any bid for the company. Meta asked the judge to deny the request, saying it should seek relevant documents directly from Musk and his AI startup xAI. In a filing late on Tuesday, Musk's lawyers said OpenAI had already received documents related to the bid from him and his AI startup. They added that OpenAI's "expansive discovery" was irrelevant to the current phase of the trial. However, lawyers for OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman asked the judge to reject Musk's assertions and said they were not seeking "expansive" and "sprawling" discovery and that the relevant requests for documents were targeted and "span weeks, not years." "Plaintiffs have sought to explain the absence of bid-related documents by representing that their communications were primarily oral. If that is true, then the need for depositions - of Musk, an xAI representative, and other co-bidders - is even more acute," they wrote. Earlier in August, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Musk must face OpenAI's claims that the billionaire, through press statements, social media posts, legal claims and "a sham bid for OpenAI's assets," had attempted to harm the AI startup. Tesla boss Musk sued Microsoft-backed OpenAI and Altman last year over the company's transition to a for-profit model, after which OpenAI counter-sued Musk in April this year. A jury trial has been scheduled for spring 2026.

Sam Altman's OpenAI Presses Mark Zuckerberg-Led Meta Over Role In Elon Musk's $97 Billion Bid To Takeover ChatGPT-Parent - Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META)

ChatGPT-parent OpenAI has asked a court to compel Meta Platforms, Inc. META to produce documents tied to Elon Musk's unsolicited $97 billion takeover bid, raising new questions about the extent of Mark Zuckerberg's involvement in the high-stakes legal battle. OpenAI Pushes Meta For Documents On Elon Musk's xAI Bid In a brief filed Thursday, OpenAI's lawyers said they subpoenaed Meta in June for communications related to Musk's February 2025 attempt to acquire or invest in the ChatGPT-maker through his startup xAI, reported TechCrunch. The filing claims Musk spoke directly with Zuckerberg "about potential financing arrangements or investments." Meta initially objected to the subpoena in July. OpenAI is now seeking a court order for Meta to hand over documents tied to Musk's bid and any discussions about OpenAI's restructuring into a public benefit corporation. That restructuring is at the heart of Musk's lawsuit against the company. In a statement to the publication, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone pointed to a section of OpenAI's filing that notes neither Meta nor Zuckerberg signed Musk's letter of intent. Meta did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comments. See Also: Elon Musk Loses $34 Billion As Tesla Sheds $153 Billion Amid Feud With Trump -- Here's How The Billionaire's Fortune Has Fared So Far In 2025 Musk's Legal Offensive Against OpenAI Musk has sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, claiming the company abandoned its nonprofit mission by converting its for-profit arm into a structure that allows investor funding and a potential IPO. OpenAI countersued in April, accusing Musk of fraudulent business practices and of trying to damage the startup he co-founded in 2015. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied Musk's request to dismiss OpenAI's counterclaims, ruling that Musk's "sham bid for OpenAI's assets," combined with his press statements and social media posts, provide sufficient grounds for the case to proceed. A jury trial is scheduled for spring 2026. Meta's Broader AI Push The subpoena comes as Meta pursues its frontier AI ambitions. Court filings in another case revealed that executives in 2023 pushed to develop a model to surpass OpenAI's GPT-4, but by early 2025, Meta's systems had slipped behind, the report said. Zuckerberg has since doubled down, poaching senior OpenAI researchers -- including ChatGPT co-creator Shengjia Zhao -- and launching Meta Superintelligence Labs. The tech giant also invested $14 billion in Scale AI and approached other AI labs for potential deals. Price Action: Meta's stock slipped 1.15% on Thursday, ending the session at $739.10. It edged down another 0.14% in Friday's pre-market trading at the time of writing, according to Benzinga Pro. Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings indicate META maintains strong momentum across short, medium and long-term trends, with more detailed performance data available here. Read Next: Apple May See Fewer Searches In Safari, But Google CEO Sundar Pichai Insists AI Is Fueling Overall Query Growth: 'Far From A Zero-Sum Game' Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photo courtesy: Frederic Legrand - COMEO / Shutterstock.com METAMeta Platforms Inc$739.940.11%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it? Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum80.83Growth84.01Quality92.06Value27.78Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewMarket News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Elon Musk's Legal Team Fights To Block OpenAI's Access To Meta's Bid Documents - Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META)

Elon Musk's legal team has filed a motion to prevent OpenAI from obtaining documents related to a previous $97.4 billion bid for its assets, according to court filings. Musk Seeks To Block OpenAI's Bid For Meta Documents Musk's lawyers are attempting to block OpenAI, the owner of ChatGPT, from accessing documents from Meta Platforms META, Reuters reported. OpenAI, Meta and xAi did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comment. OpenAI had earlier asked the judge to order Meta to provide documents and communications concerning any attempt to acquire the company. Meta, however, has urged the judge to deny the request, stating that OpenAI should seek relevant documents directly from Musk and his AI startup, xAI. Musk's lawyers have argued that OpenAI has already received bid-related documents from Musk and his AI startup, deeming OpenAI's "expansive discovery" not relevant to the current phase of the trial. OpenAI's lawyers have refuted Musk's claims, asserting that they are not seeking "expansive" and "sprawling" discovery, but rather targeted and "span weeks, not years." They have also emphasized the need for depositions of Musk, an xAI representative, and other co-bidders if the bid-related communications were primarily oral. SEE ALSO: Donald Trump Jr. Reportedly Investing Eight Figures In Polymarket OpenAI Pushes Meta for Records In Musk Takeover Dispute Last week, OpenAI had previously pressed Meta Platforms to produce documents related to Musk's unsolicited $97 billion takeover bid. This move raised questions about the extent of Mark Zuckerberg's involvement in the legal battle. These developments are a part of an ongoing legal battle between Musk and OpenAI, which began when Musk sued the company and its CEO, Sam Altman, last year over its transition to a for-profit model. OpenAI counter-sued Musk in April this year, and a jury trial has been scheduled for spring 2026. Earlier in August, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Musk must answer OpenAI's allegations that the billionaire, through press statements, social media posts, and legal actions, and "a sham bid for OpenAI's assets," had tried to damage the AI startup. READ MORE: Elon Musk's xAI, X Sue Apple And OpenAI, Seek Billions In Damages, Say ChatGPT Partnership Is A 'Tale Of Two Monopolists Joining Forces' Image via Shutterstock Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. METAMeta Platforms Inc$752.57-0.20%Stock Score Locked: Edge Members Only Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Unlock RankingsEdge RankingsMomentum82.47Growth84.48Quality90.97Value27.40Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewMarket News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

OpenAI Drags Zuckerberg to Court, Accuses Him of Funding Musk's $97B Takeover Bid

OpenAI has subpoenaed Meta for documents or communications between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, in relation to the failed bid. Remember, in February this year, Elon Musk tried to take over OpenAI with an unsolicited $97.6 billion bid? Well, the offer was unanimously rejected by OpenAI's board, but recent court filings reveal that Elon Musk allegedly reached out to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, exploring "about potential financing arrangements or investments" for the bid. Lawyers representing OpenAI subpoenaed Meta in June 2025, asking for any documents or communications between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, in relation to funding arrangements, or "any actual or potential restructuring or recapitalization of OpenAI." Meta objected to the request in July, but now OpenAI is asking the court to compel Meta to provide documents. While Meta has not given an official statement yet, the company's spokesperson, Andy Stone, told TechCrunch that OpenAI's own filing says that Meta or Zuckerberg didn't sign Musk's letter of intent to purchase the company. The tension between OpenAI and Meta has escalated after Zuckerberg went on a poaching spree, hiring many top AI researchers from OpenAI. Back then, reacting to Meta's aggressive poaching, OpenAI's chief research officer, Mark Chen, wrote in a memo, "I feel a visceral feeling right now, as if someone has broken into our home and stolen something." Now, with allegations that Meta aided Musk in his attempt to take over OpenAI, the conflict has gotten worse. Earlier, in response to Musk's lawsuit, OpenAI had hit back, saying he was running a "campaign of harassment." Meanwhile, the WSJ reports that Meta has stopped its AI hiring spree.

OpenAI Says Elon Musk Wanted Mark Zuckerberg to Join Acquisition Attempt | PYMNTS.com

Musk was a co-founder and initial board member of OpenAI, but he left the organization in 2018 due to a disagreement over its future direction and structure. OpenAI submitted the Thursday filing as part of a lawsuit in which it alleges that Musk attempted to harm the company through "a sham bid for OpenAI's assets" and other means, according to the report. The company sued Musk in April after Musk sued OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, over its move to a for-profit model, the report said. OpenAI asked a judge to order Meta to produce communications related to any bid for OpenAI, saying they would "shed light on the motivations for the bid," per the report. He had filed his lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman in February 2024, accusing the company of deviating from its original mission to develop artificial intelligence that benefits humanity as a whole. Musk helped start OpenAI in 2015 after Altman and Greg Brockman, co-founders of OpenAI, asked him to help create a nonprofit dedicated to developing artificial general intelligence to benefit humanity. OpenAI responded in April with a countersuit that alleged Musk engaged in fraudulent business practices under California law. Musk sought to have the countersuit dismissed or postponed, but a judge ruled that the case should proceed without delay and set a jury trial for March 16, 2026. On Aug. 12, a judge rejected another attempt by Musk to have OpenAI's claims thrown out. The judge said OpenAI's allegations were strong enough for the case to move forward.

Musk sought Zuckerberg help for OpenAI bid, court filing shows

Elon Musk tried to enlist rival Mark Zuckerberg for the US$97.4 billion bid that his consortium made for OpenAI earlier this year, but the CEO of Meta Platforms did not come on board, OpenAI said in a court filing on Thursday. OpenAI, the owner of ChatGPT, said Musk had communicated with Zuckerberg about potential financing arrangements or investments in connection with his OpenAI bid, according to the court filing. OpenAI said Musk had disclosed his communications with Zuckerberg about the company during sworn interrogations. Musk, whose xAI competes with OpenAI, could not immediately be reached for comment. xAI did not respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. OpenAI requested a federal judge to order Meta to produce documents and communications related to any bid for OpenAI, and those "concerning any actual or potential restructuring or recapitalization of OpenAI." "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, calling Musk and Meta two of its most significant competitors. Meta, in the same court filing, said OpenAI should seek any relevant documents directly from Musk and his AI startup, and asked the judge to deny OpenAI's motion. "Meta's own communications concerning OpenAI's restructuring or recapitalization (even as narrowed) are not relevant to this action," Meta added in the court filing. Earlier in August, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Musk must face OpenAI's claims that the billionaire, through press statements, social media posts, legal claims and "a sham bid for OpenAI's assets," attempted to harm the AI startup. Tesla boss Musk sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman last year over the company's transition to a for-profit model, after which OpenAI counter-sued Musk in April this year. A jury trial has been scheduled for spring 2026.

Elon Musk tried to recruit Mark Zuckerberg to buy OpenAI six months...

Elon Musk tried to enlist Meta's Mark Zuckerberg to join his unsolicited bid to buy OpenAI earlier this year -- at what now looks like a bargain basement price below $100 billion, lawyers for Sam Altman's firm alleged. In February, Musk made a shock $97.4 billion bid to take control of OpenAI. That's a fraction of the eye-popping $500 billion valuation that OpenAI was reportedly set to reach last week while in advanced talks to raise $6 billion from investors. OpenAI attorneys said Musk identified "Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's Chairman and CEO, as an individual with whom he had communicated concerning the [letter of intent]" related to his offer, according to a statement included in court filings on Thursday. The communication between Musk and Zuckerberg was "'about potential financing arrangements or investments'" in connection with OpenAI, the filing added. OpenAI noted that the discussion between the two billionaires occurred even as Meta was "spending heavily to develop its own AI capabilities, including, according to public reports, offering pay packages of $100 million or more to leading AI researchers and attempting to poach OpenAI employees." Neither Zuckerberg nor Meta ultimately signed the letter of intent to participate in Musk's bid, the filing said. Instead, the bid's backers included close associates of Musk. Still, the fact that Musk approached Zuckerberg came as a surprise to many because the two billionaires are also longtime rivals -- to the point that they nearly faced off against each other in a cage match in 2023. Musk's takeover offer was quickly rejected by its CEO Sam Altman and his fellow board members at the time. OpenAI has alleged that Musk's bid and the lawsuit itself are part of a long-term "harassment" campaign meant to slow down its progress on artificial intelligence. It's the latest dispute in the bitter legal war Musk has waged on Altman and OpenAI for allegedly abandoning its charitable mission in favor of profit. OpenAI is asking the court to force Meta to turn over any documents related to Zuckerberg's talks with Musk. Meta has in turn argued that the request is too invasive and should be denied. Representatives for OpenAI and Musk's attorney Marc Toberoff did not immediately return requests for comment on the filing. Meta declined to comment. Musk runs xAI, which created the Grok AI chatbot and directly competes with OpenAI. Musk and Altman were once close allies, with Musk even serving as a cofounder and initial financial backer for OpenAI. However, the two eventually had a falling-out that resulted in Musk exiting the firm. Musk has taken issue with OpenAI's plan to restructure itself as a for-profit entity. Altman and his allies insist that the nonprofit board that has long governed OpenAI will remain in overall control of the company.

Musk's lawyers try to stop OpenAI obtaining bid documents from Meta, filing shows

(Reuters) -Lawyers for Elon Musk have asked a U.S. judge to block ChatGPT-owner OpenAI from obtaining documents from Meta Platforms related to a previous $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI's assets, a court filing showed. OpenAI said last week Musk had tried to enlist his rival Mark Zuckerberg in his bid for the AI company earlier this year, but that the Meta boss did not come on board. OpenAI then requested the judge to order Meta to produce documents and communications related to any bid for the company. Meta asked the judge to deny the request, saying it should seek relevant documents directly from Musk and his AI startup xAI. In a filing late on Tuesday, Musk's lawyers said OpenAI had already received documents related to the bid from him and his AI startup. They added that OpenAI's "expansive discovery" was irrelevant to the current phase of the trial. However, lawyers for OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman asked the judge to reject Musk's assertions and said they were not seeking "expansive" and "sprawling" discovery and that the relevant requests for documents were targeted and "span weeks, not years." "Plaintiffs have sought to explain the absence of bid-related documents by representing that their communications were primarily oral. If that is true, then the need for depositions - of Musk, an xAI representative, and other co-bidders - is even more acute," they wrote. Earlier in August, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Musk must face OpenAI's claims that the billionaire, through press statements, social media posts, legal claims and "a sham bid for OpenAI's assets," had attempted to harm the AI startup. Tesla boss Musk sued Microsoft-backed OpenAI and Altman last year over the company's transition to a for-profit model, after which OpenAI counter-sued Musk in April this year. (Reporting by Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru;Editing by Helen Popper)

Musk sought Zuckerberg help for OpenAI bid, court filing shows

(Reuters) -Elon Musk tried to enlist rival Mark Zuckerberg for the $97.4 billion bid that his consortium made for OpenAI earlier this year, but the CEO of Meta Platforms did not come on board, OpenAI said in a court filing on Thursday. OpenAI, the owner of ChatGPT, said Musk had communicated with Zuckerberg about potential financing arrangements or investments in connection with his OpenAI bid, according to the court filing. OpenAI said Musk had disclosed his communications with Zuckerberg about the company during sworn interrogations. Musk, whose xAI competes with OpenAI, could not immediately be reached for comment. xAI did not respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. OpenAI requested a federal judge to order Meta to produce documents and communications related to any bid for OpenAI, and those "concerning any actual or potential restructuring or recapitalization of OpenAI." "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, calling Musk and Meta two of its most significant competitors. Meta, in the same court filing, said OpenAI should seek any relevant documents directly from Musk and his AI startup, and asked the judge to deny OpenAI's motion. "Meta's own communications concerning OpenAI's restructuring or recapitalization (even as narrowed) are not relevant to this action," Meta added in the court filing. Earlier in August, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Musk must face OpenAI's claims that the billionaire, through press statements, social media posts, legal claims and "a sham bid for OpenAI's assets," attempted to harm the AI startup. Tesla boss Musk sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman last year over the company's transition to a for-profit model, after which OpenAI counter-sued Musk in April this year. (Reporting by Harshita Meenaktshi and Shubham Kalia in BengaluruEditing by Mark Potter)

OpenAI targets Meta for possible involvement in Elon Musk's $97 bn offer

Musk allegedly discussed financing or investment options with Mark Zuckerberg. OpenAI has asked Meta to provide evidence related to any possible coordination with Elon Musk and his AI company, xAI, in their attempt to acquire or invest in the ChatGPT-maker. This request was revealed in a recent court filing as part of Musk's ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI. OpenAI lawyers said they subpoenaed Meta in June, seeking documents tied to Musk's unsolicited $97 billion bid to take over the startup in February. It is not clear if Meta holds any such documents. Lawyers for OpenAI claim they found that Musk had communicated with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg about xAI's attempt to buy the ChatGPT-maker. These discussions allegedly included talks "about potential financing arrangements or investments." Also read: Meta hires another Apple AI executive despite hiring slowdown Meta initially opposed the subpoena in July, but OpenAI is now asking the court to ask Meta to provide the requested evidence. OpenAI is also seeking any internal documents and communications from Meta related to "any actual or potential restructuring or recapitalisation of OpenAI," which is central to Musk's lawsuit. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone directed TechCrunch to OpenAI's filing, which notes that neither Meta nor Zuckerberg signed Musk's letter of intent to acquire the company. The case comes as Meta has been heavily investing in its own AI efforts. Recently, Zuckerberg has intensified his AI initiatives, including hiring several top OpenAI researchers, such as ChatGPT co-creator Shengjia Zhao. Also read: Google Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro Fold: India price, offers, availability and more details While it's unclear how advanced discussions were between Musk and Zuckerberg, the idea of collaboration between the two billionaires highlights the threat OpenAI poses in the AI sector. Two years ago, Musk even joked about fighting Zuckerberg in a cage match, a clash that never happened. Meta has asked the court to dismiss OpenAI's evidence request.