OpenAI is reportedly in talks to raise more than$100 billion, which would make the company one of the most highly valued startups, just behind Elon Musk’s SpaceX. At the same time, OpenAI is reportedly in talks with G42 to create a new company specializing in artificial intelligence (AI) chips, with a potential $8-10 billion fundraising round at stake.
$100 billion for OpenAI, the startup behind ChatGPT?
OpenAI is reportedly in talks with various investors with a view to raising $100 billion or more, according to Bloomberg. If such a sum were raised, OpenAI would become the second most valuable start-up in the US, behind Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX).
Previously, Bloomberg reported that OpenAI planned to allow its employees to sell their shares next January, and that this would enable the firm to reach a valuation of $86 billion, not counting the round of financing we’re talking about.
By way of comparison, OpenAI’s current valuation is currently estimated at around $30 billion.
According to the same individuals “with knowledge of the file” relating to this potential colossal fund-raising, the takeover bid is being led by Thrive Capital and has already “attracted more investor demand than there was availability”. This is hardly surprising, given the considerable buzz surrounding artificial intelligence, particularly since the arrival of ChatGPT in 2022.
Details of the fundraising, including terms and funding schedule, are still subject to change and are therefore not yet public.
On X, Sam Altman recently spoke out to thank his teams for all their hard work, and also to emphasize just how pivotal 2023 had been for the world of artificial intelligence:
it’s been a crazy year.
i’m grateful that we put a tool out in the world that people really love and get so much benefit from.
more than that, i am glad that 2023 was the year the world started taking AI seriously.
– Sam Altman (@sama) December 21, 2023
According to Bloomberg, OpenAI is also in talks with G42, an Abu Dhabi-based firm specializing in the development of artificial intelligence (AI), to create a new company dedicated to AI chips. The round of financing that would result from the creation of this company could be in the region of 8 to 10 billion dollars.
Last month, we learned that Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, had been planning for some time to develop his own chips to compete with Nvidia, the current leader in this sector. These would be designed to optimize the performance of AI systems, and are currently being studied under the codename “Tigris”.
Last October, G42 announced a partnership with OpenAI aimed at “providing cutting-edge AI solutions to the United Arab Emirates and regional markets,” without mentioning the financial amount involved.
