OpenAI Explores Special Voting Rights to Counter Elon Musk's $97.4 Billion Takeover Bid

The AI company is considering governance changes to maintain its mission during its transition to a for-profit structure.

OpenAI's board is evaluating granting its nonprofit arm special voting rights to prevent hostile takeovers and maintain control over its mission.
The move comes after Elon Musk and a group of investors made a $97.4 billion unsolicited bid for OpenAI's nonprofit assets, which the board rejected unanimously.
OpenAI is transitioning into a public benefit corporation, with plans to spin off its nonprofit arm to focus on charitable initiatives while the for-profit arm pursues business operations.
Musk has criticized OpenAI's shift toward profit-making, arguing it diverges from its founding mission to develop AI for the benefit of humanity.
Additional measures, such as a poison pill strategy, are reportedly under consideration to protect OpenAI from future hostile takeover attempts.