Tesla CEO Elon Musk has offered to buy OpenAI for $97.4 billion ...
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has made headlines with his recent offer to acquire OpenAI for a whopping $97.4 billion (approximately 141 trillion won). This move has sparked a flurry of reactions, particularly with Sam Altman's swift rejection, adding fuel to the fire of tension between the two parties.
The Offer and Response
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal on the 10th, Elon Musk, leading an investor consortium, proposed the acquisition of OpenAI, a non-profit organization. Mark Toberoff, Musk's legal representative, presented the acquisition offer to OpenAI on the same day. Musk emphasized the importance of returning OpenAI to its roots of promoting open-source initiatives and prioritizing safety.
OpenAI's non-profit arm serves as a controlling entity for its for-profit counterparts. If acquired, this move would grant Musk significant control over OpenAI. Notably, OpenAI's for-profit arm received a substantial investment of $157 billion last October and is poised to attract further investments, including from Softbank, totaling $300 billion. Musk's offer, therefore, appears considerably undervalued in light of these figures.
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, wasted no time in rejecting Musk's offer, citing a hypothetical scenario where OpenAI would purchase Twitter for $9.74 billion, a fraction of the amount Musk paid for the social media platform in 2022. Musk retorted to Altman's response, labeling him a "swindler."
Future Plans for OpenAI
Reports indicate that OpenAI's AI Semiconductor, currently in development, is set to commence production with TSMC in the near future. The chip design has been finalized, and preparations are underway for production to commence next year. This strategic move aims to reduce OpenAI's reliance on Nvidia and enhance its technological independence.
OpenAI's chip design team has expanded significantly, with over 40 new members joining in recent months. Additionally, OpenAI has recruited Richard Ho, formerly of Google, further strengthening its semiconductor development capabilities.
With these developments in play, OpenAI is poised to make significant strides in the AI semiconductor industry, positioning itself for mass production in the coming year.
