In a statement shared through OpenAI's press channel on social network X, Bret Taylor, Chairman of the Board of Directors, called Musk's bidding "an attempt to disrupt competition".
OpenAI is not for sale and the Board of Directors unanimously rejected Musks latest attempt to disrupt competition. Any reorganization of OpenAI will affect our original purpose, the organization's mission is to ensure that artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity, Taylor said.
The New York Times reported that OpenAI also sent a letter to Musk's lawyer, Marc Toberoff, saying that the bid price "does not bring the best benefits to OpenAI's mission".
Earlier this week, Elon Musk, his AI company (xAI) and a group of investors proposed to buy nonprofit OpenAI for $97.4 billion. OpenAI CEO Sam altman and the company's board quickly (but unofficially) rejected the proposal.
In a statement, Andy Nussbaum, a consultant to OpenAI's Board of Directors, said Musk's bids "do not set value for OpenAI's nonprofit organization" and "this nonprofit organization "is not for sale".
Elon Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, sued the company and Sam altman last year, accusing OpenAI of anti-competitive and fraudulent behavior, among other crimes.
OpenAI was established as a non-profit organization before switching to a limited profit structure in 2019. This nonprofit organization is the sole controlling shareholder of OpenAI, which still holds the official responsibility for the charter of the nonprofit organization.
OpenAI is currently in the process of restructuring towards becoming a public interest corporation. But Elon Musk, through the lawsuit, is seeking to order a transition.
In court documents, Elon Musk's lawyers said the billionaire would withdraw bids if OpenAI's Board of Directors safe the mission of a charitable organization and prevent OpenAI from switching to for-profit operations.
In the previous filing, OpenAI lawyers called Musk's move to take control of the company "an unsuitable attempt to undermine competitors".
