Musk will withdraw OpenAI bid if ChatGPT maker stays nonprofit, lawyers say
Feb 13, 2025
Once upon a time, a man named Elon Musk wanted to buy a special company called OpenAI. This company makes smart computers that can chat with people, like ChatGPT. Elon thought OpenAI was changing from being a helpful nonprofit group to a profit-making business. He believed that this was not good because it might make them forget their mission to help everyone.
Elon and his friends wanted to pay $97.4 billion to buy this company but said they would only do it if OpenAI promised to stay a nonprofit and help people. The boss of OpenAI, Sam Altman, said "No!" to Elon’s offer. He thought Elon just wanted to slow them down because they are doing well and making new things.
OpenAI started in 2015 to make smart machines that would help, not hurt. Then in 2019, they decided to make some money while still trying to do good things. Elon felt frustrated because he helped start OpenAI and donated a lot of money at the beginning—$50 million! He wanted OpenAI to keep its original goal like a friend who helps save a forest but doesn’t want to cut down trees for money.
Elon said that OpenAI is acting like a lumber company now, instead of a group that cares for the environment. He joked that they should change their name to "maximum profit AI." Sam said he wasn't worried about Elon’s big offer. They just wanted to stay focused on making smart things that help people, not just to earn lots of money.
In simple words, Elon Musk wants to protect OpenAI's helpful mission, while Sam Altman wants to grow and make their smart machines even better, and they both have different ideas about how to do it!