In a groundbreaking move, OpenAI has completed a monumental $40 billion investment round, led by Japan’s SoftBank, catapulting the artificial intelligence giant’s valuation to an eye-watering $300 billion.
This marks one of the largest funding deals in the history of private startups, nearly doubling its previous valuation of $157 billion just six months ago.
SoftBank will contribute $30 billion, with other investors, including Microsoft, Coatue, Altimeter, and Thrive, rounding out the remainder.
However, a caveat remains: should OpenAI fail to restructure by year’s end, SoftBank’s stake could shrink to $20 billion.
The funds are earmarked for accelerating AI research and developing general artificial intelligence with a mission to benefit humanity.
In a bid to stay ahead of rivals like DeepSeek and Meta’s Llama, OpenAI also revealed plans for a more accessible AI model, set to be released soon.
This new model, while not fully open-source, promises customisation for developers, marking a significant shift in OpenAI’s approach.