OpenAI has completed a historic funding round, raising $6.6 billion in the largest venture capital deal ever, valuing the company at $157 billion. This massive infusion of capital marks a significant milestone as OpenAI transitions from a nonprofit research lab to a product-driven company. This move has attracted significant investors but also stirred internal tensions.
The funding round was led by Joshua Kushner's Thrive Capital, with participation from big names like Microsoft, Nvidia, SoftBank, Khosla Ventures, Altimeter Capital, Fidelity, Tiger Global, and MGX. Apple, which had reportedly been in talks to invest, is absent from the round but ultimately chose not to participate. The deal surpasses the $6 billion raised earlier this year by Elon Musk’s xAI, underscoring OpenAI’s dominant position in the AI sector.
OpenAI's shift to a for-profit structure has raised some eyebrows. Investors can ask for their money back if the company doesn’t complete this transition within two years, adding pressure to its strategic timeline. This change, alongside growing internal debates over the balance between speed and safety, has likely contributed to the recent departures of key staff, including CTO Mira Murati and two top researchers. The cultural clash between OpenAI's product-focused team and its safety division has become more pronounced, especially following the firing and rehiring of CEO Sam Altman last year.
Despite these internal struggles, OpenAI remains committed to maintaining its leadership in AI research. In a blog post, the company said the new funding would expand its computing capacity, support frontier AI research, and develop tools that help users tackle complex problems.
This funding also reflects the enormous costs associated with maintaining OpenAI’s leadership position in the industry. The company continues to scale up its revenue but faces rising operational expenses.
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