OpenAI Explored Buying AI Chip Startup Cerebras in 2017
Newly released legal filings reveal that OpenAI once considered acquiring Cerebras, a custom AI chip startup currently pursuing an IPO. Co-founder Ilya Sutskever suggests routing the purchase through Tesla, though the deal ultimately falls through.
New legal filings from Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI reveal that the AI lab seriously considers acquiring Cerebras in 2017. Emails from co-founder Ilya Sutskever to Musk and CEO Sam Altman show discussions about negotiating merger terms and conducting due diligence on the chipmaking startup, which is only a year old at the time.
Sutskever proposes buying Cerebras through Tesla, Musk's electric vehicle company, but expresses concern about this approach. He warns that Tesla has a duty to maximize shareholder returns, which directly conflicts with OpenAI's overarching mission, making a direct purchase by the AI lab potentially more optimal.
The deal ultimately falls through for undisclosed reasons, leaving OpenAI to shelve its in-house chip ambitions for years. Today, Cerebras is moving forward with a risky IPO that faces challenges like heavy reliance on a single customer and leadership controversies, while OpenAI continues its ongoing struggle to reduce its dependence on Nvidia.