Mark Zuckerberg Declined Elon Musk’s Request to Join $97.4B OpenAI Bid

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A recent court filing has revealed that billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk tried to enlist the support of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in his consortium’s $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI earlier this year. According to the documents, Zuckerberg was approached to participate in the effort, but ultimately did not join.

The Bid for OpenAI

Earlier this year, Musk and a group of investors made a high-profile bid to acquire OpenAI, the artificial intelligence research company he co-founded in 2015 but later parted ways with. The consortium’s offer, valued at nearly $100 billion, was one of the largest in the technology sector in recent years. The filing noted that bringing Zuckerberg on board was seen as a way to add both financial strength and strategic weight to the effort.

Zuckerberg Declines Participation

Despite the outreach, Zuckerberg did not become part of the bid, the court documents confirmed. Meta Platforms, the company he leads, has been independently developing large-scale AI systems to integrate across its apps, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Analysts note that his decision not to participate left Musk’s consortium without one of the most influential voices in the AI industry.

Rivalry in AI Development

The court filing has drawn attention because Musk and Zuckerberg have often been seen as rivals in their visions of AI. Musk has frequently warned about the risks of artificial intelligence, while Zuckerberg has spoken more positively about its potential. Both, however, lead companies that are heavily invested in shaping the future of the technology.

The disclosure highlights the intense competition among major tech figures to secure influence in the AI sector. With OpenAI valued as one of the most prominent companies in the field, efforts to bring in figures like Zuckerberg reflect how high the stakes have become. For now, the court records show that while outreach was made, Zuckerberg chose to continue focusing on Meta’s AI ambitions rather than joining Musk’s bid.