ChatGPT creator OpenAI is reportedly in early talks to raise a new round of funding that could value the company at $100 billion or more, according to sources cited by Bloomberg.
If successful, this funding round would place OpenAI among the most valuable startups globally, second only to Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the U.S., based on CBInsights data. Investors have already been included in initial conversations, although key details such as the final valuation, deal terms, and timeline are still subject to change.
Employee Share Sales at $86 Billion Valuation
Separately, OpenAI is expected to finalize a tender offer in early January that would allow employees to sell their shares based on an $86 billion valuation. Thrive Capital is leading this effort, which has reportedly attracted more investor interest than there are available shares.
ChatGPT’s Rapid Growth
The developments come roughly one year after the launch of ChatGPT, which has played a major role in the global AI boom of 2023. With over $10 billion in backing from Microsoft, OpenAI has quickly risen to prominence in the artificial intelligence sector.
At OpenAI’s inaugural developer conference in San Francisco, CEO Sam Altman revealed that ChatGPT now sees more than 100 million weekly active users. He also noted that over 2 million developers are using the platform, including 92% of Fortune 500 companies.
AI Industry Momentum
Despite increasing competition from platforms like Google’s Bard and Anthropic (backed by Amazon and Alphabet), OpenAI’s influence continues to expand. Other players like Salesforce have invested in AI startups like Hugging Face, and Nvidia—whose chips are central to AI computing—has made over 20 investments in 2023 alone.
Tigris Chip Project and Global Expansion
Altman is also reportedly seeking funding for a new chip initiative, code-named Tigris, aimed at developing AI semiconductors that rival Nvidia’s market dominance.
In October, OpenAI partnered with G42, a UAE-based tech firm, to bring AI solutions to the Middle East. G42 is led by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security adviser and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Financial details of the partnership have not been disclosed.
