San Francisco: A newly disclosed court filing has revealed that Elon Musk, in his recent $97.4 billion bid to take over OpenAI’s nonprofit controlling entity, sought financial support from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg earlier this year. The approach was part of Musk’s broader effort, backed by his artificial intelligence startup xAI and other partners, to gain control of the company he co-founded but later parted ways with.
According to the filing, Musk reached out to Zuckerberg to explore possible financing or investment opportunities for the unsolicited takeover attempt. However, Zuckerberg declined to participate, and Meta did not sign any letter of intent or commit to any involvement in the deal.
OpenAI has responded by requesting that a federal judge compel Meta to provide documents and communications related to Musk’s bid, arguing that they may shed light on his motivations. The company contends that Musk’s proposal and related activities are linked to a wider campaign aimed at undermining OpenAI after his public criticism of its direction.
Meta has resisted this move, stating that any relevant materials should be sought directly from Musk and his associates, not from Meta’s internal records. The dispute has added another dimension to the ongoing legal battle between Musk and OpenAI.
Musk initially filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing it of abandoning its nonprofit mission to prioritize profit-making ventures. OpenAI countersued, alleging that Musk has engaged in a campaign of harassment, compounded by the attempted takeover. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Yvonne González Rogers rejected Musk’s bid to dismiss OpenAI’s claims, scheduling the case for a jury trial in spring 2026.
The revelations come at a time of heightened competition in the artificial intelligence industry. Alongside the Musk-OpenAI dispute, reports indicate that Apple is in early-stage discussions with Google to integrate its Gemini AI into a new version of Siri, reflecting the intensifying race among tech giants to dominate the AI landscape.
The unfolding case promises to shape not only the legal future of Musk’s dealings with OpenAI but also the broader dynamics of power, competition, and governance in the rapidly advancing AI sector.