Elon Musk's OpenAI Bid, Meta's AI Robots, Intel's Lifeline, Johansson's AI Regulation Plea, And More: This Week In AI

Rounak Jain

February 16, 2025

The week was abuzz with tech giants making significant moves and stirring up discussions. Elon Musk’s whopping $97 billion acquisition proposal to OpenAI was turned down, while Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta is reportedly planning a major investment into AI-powered humanoid robots. Intel might find a lifeline in a joint venture with Taiwan Semiconductor, and Scarlett Johansson’s call for AI regulation has sparked a conversation.

OpenAI Rejects Musk’s $97 Billion Acquisition Proposal

The board of OpenAI has turned down a substantial $97.4 billion acquisition offer from Elon Musk and his consortium of investors, according to the Wall Street Journal. The decision was communicated via a letter to Musk’s lawyer, stating that the offer was not in line with OpenAI’s mission. OpenAI’s chairman, Bret Taylor, stressed that the company is not for sale and the board unanimously rejected Musk’s offer.

Read the full article here.

Meta to Invest in AI-Powered Humanoid Robots

Following in the footsteps of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg‘s Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is reportedly planning a significant investment into AI-powered humanoid robots. Bloomberg reports that Meta is forming a new team within its Reality Labs hardware division to lead this initiative. The tech giant aims to develop its own humanoid robot hardware, initially for household tasks, with a broader goal of creating AI, sensors, and software for robots that other companies will manufacture and sell.

Read the full article here.

Intel May Find Lifeline in Joint Venture with Taiwan Semiconductor

Rumors suggest that Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:INTC) could be facing a turning point with a potential US-backed joint venture with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (NYSE:TSM). Baird analyst Tristan Gerra reports that supply chain sources indicate the U.S. government might intervene to push this joint venture to strengthen domestic chip manufacturing. The deal would involve TSMC deploying engineers to Intel’s advanced 3nm and 2nm fabrication plants to ensure the success of Intel’s foundry business.

Read the full article here.

Scarlett Johansson Calls for Urgent AI Regulation

Actress Scarlett Johansson has called on lawmakers for urgent AI regulations following a viral AI-generated video featuring her and other Jewish celebrities. The fabricated video, which has sparked concerns over deepfake misuse, shows AI versions of Johansson and other Jewish celebrities appearing to oppose rapper Kanye West.

Read the full article here.

OpenAI’s Board Claims No Official Receipt of Musk’s Bid

Despite claims from Musk’s legal team, OpenAI‘s board has reportedly not officially received Musk’s $97.4 billion takeover bid. Musk’s attorney, Marc Toberoff, told Reuters that a four-page Letter of Intent outlining the bid was emailed to OpenAI’s legal representatives at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.

Read the full article here.

Read Next:

Mark Zuckerberg Follows Elon Musk’s Footsteps As Meta Reportedly Plans Major Investment Into AI-Powered Humanoid Robots

Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Rounak Jain

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