OpenAI subpoenas Meta for documents on possible coordination with Elon Musk in the $97B takeover bid.
Musk allegedly discussed financing or investment options with Mark Zuckerberg.
Meta seeks to block OpenAI’s evidence request.
OpenAI has asked Meta to provide evidence related to any possible coordination with Elon Musk and his AI company, xAI, in their attempt to acquire or invest in the ChatGPT-maker. This request was revealed in a recent court filing as part of Musk’s ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI.
SurveyOpenAI lawyers said they subpoenaed Meta in June, seeking documents tied to Musk’s unsolicited $97 billion bid to take over the startup in February. It is not clear if Meta holds any such documents.
Lawyers for OpenAI claim they found that Musk had communicated with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg about xAI’s attempt to buy the ChatGPT-maker. These discussions allegedly included talks “about potential financing arrangements or investments.”
Also read: Meta hires another Apple AI executive despite hiring slowdown
Meta initially opposed the subpoena in July, but OpenAI is now asking the court to ask Meta to provide the requested evidence. OpenAI is also seeking any internal documents and communications from Meta related to “any actual or potential restructuring or recapitalisation of OpenAI,” which is central to Musk’s lawsuit.
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone directed TechCrunch to OpenAI’s filing, which notes that neither Meta nor Zuckerberg signed Musk’s letter of intent to acquire the company.
The case comes as Meta has been heavily investing in its own AI efforts. Recently, Zuckerberg has intensified his AI initiatives, including hiring several top OpenAI researchers, such as ChatGPT co-creator Shengjia Zhao.
While it’s unclear how advanced discussions were between Musk and Zuckerberg, the idea of collaboration between the two billionaires highlights the threat OpenAI poses in the AI sector. Two years ago, Musk even joked about fighting Zuckerberg in a cage match, a clash that never happened.
Meta has asked the court to dismiss OpenAI’s evidence request.
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Ayushi Jain
Ayushi works as Chief Copy Editor at Digit, covering everything from breaking tech news to in-depth smartphone reviews. Prior to Digit, she was part of the editorial team at IANS. View Full Profile
