OpenAI Targets $750 Billion Valuation in Next Funding Round

OpenAI reportedly aims to raise as much as $100 billion at a valuation of about $750 billion.

The artificial intelligence (AI) startup is in early talks with investors about a funding round, and nothing has been finalized, The Information reported Wednesday (Dec. 17), citing unnamed sources.

OpenAI did not immediately reply to PYMNTS’ request for comment.

The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday (Dec. 18), citing unnamed sources, that OpenAI is seeking as much as $100 billion in a funding round that could value the company at $830 billion.

It was reported Tuesday (Dec. 16) that Amazon is in discussions to invest around $10 billion in OpenAI and that the investment could value the AI startup at $500 billion.

On Dec. 11, The Walt Disney Company announced a $1 billion investment in OpenAI and a three-year licensing agreement that will allow the AI firm’s Sora video model to generate short, fan-created clips using more than 200 Disney-owned characters, settings and worlds.

“The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence marks an important moment for our industry, and through this collaboration with OpenAI we will thoughtfully and responsibly extend the reach of our storytelling through generative AI, while respecting and protecting creators and their works,” Robert A. Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, said at the time in a press release.

In October, it was reported that OpenAI was planning an initial public offering (IPO) that could value the company at up to $1 trillion. The report, which cited unnamed sources, said OpenAI was considering filing with regulators as soon as the second half of next year and has looked at raising at least $60 billion, but likely more.

An OpenAI spokesperson told Reuters at the time: “An IPO is not our focus, so we could not possibly have set a date.”

It was reported Oct. 2 that OpenAI was valued at $500 billion after a share sale in which it allowed current and former employees to sell roughly $6.6 billion in shares.

The company had been valued at $300 billion in August after completing a round of fundraising that was five times oversubscribed.

OpenAI released a report Dec. 8 that said more than 7 million workplace seats now use ChatGPT Enterprise, up ninefold year over year, and the average enterprise worker now sends 30% more ChatGPT messages weekly than a year ago.

For all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.