OpenAI Seeks Meta’s Documents in Musk’s $97B Takeover Lawsuit, Alleging Coordination

OpenAI has asked Meta to produce documents related to any potential coordination between Meta and Elon Musk’s xAI in connection with Musk’s unsolicited $97 billion bid to acquire the ChatGPT-maker. The request was disclosed in a court filing Thursday as part of Musk’s ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI. OpenAI’s legal team said it issued a subpoena to Meta in June seeking evidence of any collaboration or discussions involving Meta, CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Musk’s acquisition attempt. The subpoena specifically targeted communications about possible financing or investment arrangements related to xAI’s bid. OpenAI has since requested a court order to compel Meta to comply, after Meta objected to the initial request in July. The filing reveals that OpenAI’s lawyers uncovered evidence that Musk had discussed OpenAI’s potential acquisition with Zuckerberg. The communications appear to have centered on possible financial support or strategic partnerships, though no formal agreement was reached. Meta has not confirmed any involvement, and its spokesperson, Andy Stone, referred TechCrunch to a section of OpenAI’s filing stating that neither Meta nor Zuckerberg signed Musk’s letter of intent. OpenAI is also asking the court to obtain any internal Meta documents related to “any actual or potential restructuring or recapitalization of OpenAI”—a central issue in Musk’s lawsuit, which alleges that OpenAI deviated from its original nonprofit mission by pursuing profit-driven ventures. Meta has pushed back, arguing that the requested documents are irrelevant to the case and that Musk and xAI are the primary sources of information about their own plans. The company maintains that its internal discussions about OpenAI’s future are not pertinent to the legal dispute. The broader context of this legal battle includes Meta’s aggressive moves in the AI space. The company has invested heavily in its own frontier AI efforts, including a $14 billion stake in data-labeling firm Scale AI. It has also recruited top talent from OpenAI, including Shengjia Zhao, a co-creator of ChatGPT, who now leads research at Meta’s Superintelligence Labs. Additionally, reports indicate Meta explored acquisition talks with other AI startups, further intensifying competition in the field. The case remains active, with both sides pushing for access to critical information. The court’s decision on whether to enforce OpenAI’s request will likely shape the trajectory of the lawsuit and could reveal deeper layers of strategic maneuvering among tech giants in the race for AI dominance.