“Why Did Elon Musk Just Offer to Buy Control of OpenAI for $100 Billion?” by garrison
Feb 11, 2025
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Elon Musk makes waves with a staggering $97.4 billion bid to control OpenAI, stirring debate over the switch to a for-profit model. The implications for AI governance and the valuation of OpenAI's assets are dissected. Tensions rise as Musk's legal challenges surface, raising critical questions about board responsibilities and AI safety. Amidst this chaos, responses from key players like OpenAI's CEO reveal a mix of jest and seriousness, highlighting the high stakes in the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence.
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Quick takeaways
Elon Musk's $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI highlights the complex interplay between corporate governance and public interest in artificial intelligence.
The urgency of OpenAI's transition to a profit-driven model raises concerns over prioritizing investor returns over its original nonprofit mission.
Deep dives
Elon Musk's Offer and OpenAI's Future
Elon Musk has proposed a $97.4 billion offer to acquire control of OpenAI, aiming to possess its governing assets and profits from its for-profit arm. Although OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman has rejected the offer, Musk's actions appear strategically aimed at disrupting OpenAI’s transition to a fully for-profit structure. This restructuring is crucial for OpenAI as it is under pressure to complete the conversion within two years, following a substantial $6.6 billion investment. If this deadline is missed, the investors could demand their money back, creating significant risk for the non-profit organization.
The Implications of Control and Governance
The proposal raises significant questions about control premiums in corporate governance, particularly for an entity like OpenAI, which is valued at up to $300 billion. Musk's bid sets a benchmark for control value, suggesting that the non-profit's governance could be worth between $60 billion to $210 billion. This scenario complicates OpenAI's obligations to its non-profit mission, as it provides a financial incentive to prioritize investor returns over broader societal interests. The challenge now lies in justifying acceptance of a lower offer, as any amount less than Musk’s could be perceived as undervaluing public interest in the organization’s mission.
Public Safety and Ethical Considerations
The ongoing legal disputes and Musk's insistence on preserving OpenAI’s non-profit structure highlight the broader implications of AI development on public safety and ethical governance. Various regulatory bodies emphasize the importance of maintaining public interest oversight especially given the potential societal transformations associated with Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). A recent AI safety report indicates growing risks associated with AI progression, including the capability for deception and weaponization. The pressing question now is whether any financial compensation can sufficiently uphold the original mission of ensuring AI's development prioritizes humanity's welfare over mere profit, especially amidst escalating technological advancements.
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Elon Musk's Bold Bid for OpenAI: Implications and Intricacies
This is the full text of a post from "The Obsolete Newsletter," a Substack that I write about the intersection of capitalism, geopolitics, and artificial intelligence. I’m a freelance journalist and the author of a forthcoming book called Obsolete: Power, Profit, and the Race to build Machine Superintelligence. Consider subscribing to stay up to date with my work.
Wow. The Wall Street Journal just reported that, "a consortium of investors led by Elon Musk is offering $97.4 billion to buy the nonprofit that controls OpenAI."
Technically, they can't actually do that, so I'm going to assume that Musk is trying to buy all of the nonprofit's assets, which include governing control over OpenAI's for-profit, as well as all the profits above the company's profit caps.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman already tweeted, "no thank you but we will buy twitter for $9.74 billion if you want." (Musk, for his part [...]