OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has raised $6.6 billion (€5.9 billion) from investors, which could value the company at $157 billion and cement its position as one of the most valuable private companies in the world.
The funding has attracted returning venture capital investors including Thrive Capital and Khosla Ventures, as well as OpenAI's biggest corporate backer Microsoft, and new participation from Nvidia.
The closing of the funds coincides with the company’s continuing restructuring efforts and executive changes, including the abrupt departure of its long-time chief technology officer, Mira Murati, last week.
Altimeter Capital, Fidelity, SoftBank, and Abu Dhabi's state-backed investment firm MGX also participated in the round.
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Thrive Capital, which committed about $1.2 billion from a combination of its own fund and a special purpose vehicle for smaller investors, also negotiated the option to invest another $1 billion next year at the same valuation if the AI firm hits a revenue goal, sources added.
Apple, which was in talks to invest in OpenAI, did not end up joining the funding, said sources, who requested anonymity to discuss private matters.
The funding came in the form of convertible notes, and the conversion to equity hinges on a successful structural change into a for-profit that would no longer be controlled by the non-profit board and the removal of cap on returns for investors.
The personnel changes haven’t dampened enthusiasm from most investors, who are anticipating significant growth based on the projections by OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and chief financial officer Sarah Friar.
The company is on pace to generate $3.6 billion in revenue this year on mounting losses of more than $5 billion. It projects a big revenue jump next year to $11.6 billion, according to sources familiar with the figures.
[ OpenAI shifts to for-profit model, may give CEO Altman 7% stakeOpens in new window ]
Investors have also secured some protections as OpenAI undergoes the complex corporate restructuring that would grant Altman equity. The talks are still in progress, and no timeline has been determined yet.
Investors have negotiated terms that would allow them to claw back their capital or renegotiate the valuation if the changes are not implemented within two years, sources said.
OpenAI's meteoric rise in terms of product popularity and valuation has captured the world's imagination. Since the launch of ChatGPT, it has attracted 250 million weekly active users. The company's valuation has also risen from $14 billion in 2021 to $157 billion as it grew revenue from zero to $3.6 billion, far exceeding Altman's own projections at the time.
The company has told investors it is still actively pursuing artificial general intelligence (AGI), meaning developing AI systems that surpass human intelligence, as it ramps up commercialisation and tries to be profitable.
– Reuters
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