OpenAI Seeks Fresh Funding at $100B Valuation, The First After Sam Altman Drama

Sources familiar with the matter said that ChatGPT’s parent firm OpenAI is seeking to raise fresh funds at a staggering $100 billion valuation. This will be the first-ever fundraiser following the drama of Sam Altman’s ouster, and then his joining back last month.

OpenAI’s Push to Most-Valuable Startup

OpenAI is reportedly in preliminary discussions regarding a potential fundraising round that could elevate its valuation, making it the second-most valuable startup in the U.S., following SpaceX. While details such as terms and timing are yet to be finalized and could undergo changes, if the funding round proceeds as planned, OpenAI’s valuation would soar.

The company is on track to conclude a separate tender offer in early January, allowing employees to sell shares at a valuation of $86 billion. OpenAI, renowned for its artificial intelligence innovations, gained significant attention and raised $13 billion after the launch of ChatGPT a year ago, reshaping the AI landscape.

The company’s escalating valuation reflects the ongoing AI fervor and interest sparked by its groundbreaking developments. OpenAI declined to comment on the matter. Moreover, tech giant Microsoft is also one of the biggest investors in OpenAI.

Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc. have invested substantial amounts in Anthropic, a rival of OpenAI. Salesforce Inc. spearheaded an investment round in Hugging Face, assigning a valuation of $4.5 billion to the company. Nvidia Corp., a major producer of semiconductors for AI tasks, disclosed multiple investments made throughout 2023, signaling the heightened interest and financial backing in the AI sector by industry giants.

Fundraising for Chip Venture

OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, has been actively seeking funding for the chipmaking initiative, codenamed Tigris, with the aim of developing competitive semiconductors in the AI chip market dominated by Nvidia.

Discussions have taken place with Abu Dhabi-based G42 for funding the new chip venture, with talks revolving around raising between $8 billion and $10 billion, as reported by anonymous sources.

G42 and OpenAI had previously announced a partnership in October to deliver advanced AI solutions to the UAE and regional markets, led by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security adviser and chair of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.