Elon Musk requested Mark Zuckerberg if he would contemplate becoming a member of him in bidding for OpenAI’s mental property earlier than the Tesla CEO made an unsolicited provide for the ChatGPT maker in February 2025, in keeping with newly launched court docket paperwork.
The newly unredacted paperwork are a part of Musk’s ongoing lawsuit towards OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman.
The paperwork present a glimpse into the communication between Musk and the Meta CEO, who’ve had a roller coaster relationship, together with challenges to MMA fights.
In a single unsealed exhibit, Zuckerberg texted Musk at 10:04 p.m. PT on February 3, 2025, to say that it appeared just like the White Home DOGE workplace, for which Musk was the de facto chief, was “making progress.” He additionally added that his “groups” could be “on alert to take down content material doxxing or threatening” individuals who work with Musk at DOGE, in keeping with the paperwork.
“Let me know if there’s the rest I can do to assist,” Zuckerberg added.
Lower than half an hour later, Musk reacted to Zuckerberg’s message with a coronary heart emoji and adopted up with a query about OpenAI.
“Are you open to the concept of bidding on the OpenAI IP with me and a few others?” Musk stated, referring to the widespread time period for mental property.
“Wish to focus on reside?” Zuckerberg responded.
Musk appreciated Zuckerberg’s message and texted again that he would “name within the morning,” in keeping with the paperwork.
It is unclear if the deliberate name truly happened. A Meta spokesperson advised Enterprise Insider that the corporate has no remark.
Primarily based on a court docket briefing OpenAI filed on August 21, 2025, Musk “recognized” Zuckerberg as an individual he communicated with concerning a letter of intent about “potential financing preparations or investments” in OpenAI.
“Neither Zuckerberg nor Meta signed the LOI,” OpenAI added within the briefing.
OpenAI, Elon Musk, and a senior authorized counsel for Tesla didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
On February 10, 2025, a consortium of traders, together with xAI, led by Musk, submitted an unsolicited $97.4 billion bid to amass the then-nonprofit group that controls OpenAI. The bid, submitted by Musk’s legal professional Marc Toberoff, was geared toward blocking OpenAI’s transition right into a for-profit entity.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman promptly responded to the bid on X and stated, “no thanks however we’ll purchase twitter for $9.74 billion if you need.”
In August 2024, Musk sued Altman and others on the OpenAI board, alleging that he was deceived into investing and that the founders initially approached him to fund a nonprofit targeted on growing AI to profit humanity, however that it was now targeted on producing revenue. Musk contributed round $38 million to OpenAI in its preliminary years however is now looking for as much as $134 billion in damages in the newest model of the lawsuit.
In a separate dialog between Zuckerberg and Musk on December 13, 2024, Zuckerberg advised Musk that somebody had “leaked” Meta’s letter to the California Legal professional Normal in help of Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI.
“Needed to ensure you heard this from me,” Zuckerberg added.
OpenAI formally accomplished its conversion from a nonprofit to a for-profit company in October 2025, though it nonetheless maintains a nonprofit wing.
Musk’s lawsuit towards Altman and OpenAI will start jury choice on April 27 in Oakland, California.
