- Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft are in talks to invest in OpenAI’s upcoming funding round, potentially raising its valuation to over $100 billion.
- OpenAI’s flagship product, ChatGPT, has doubled its weekly active users to over 200 million in the past year.
Tech giants Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft are reportedly in talks to invest in OpenAI’s upcoming funding round, potentially raising the AI company’s valuation to over $100 billion.
According to reports from Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal on August 29, sources familiar with the matter revealed that these companies are preparing to back the AI startup.
Apple's involvement is particularly noteworthy, as the company typically refrains from investing in startups. However, this move aligns with Apple's strategy to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. The investment would support Apple’s efforts to maintain a strong position in the AI race, amidst growing competition from both established tech giants and emerging startups.
Leading the funding round is investment firm Thrive Capital, with a $1 billion commitment. Microsoft, which already holds a 49% stake in OpenAI after investing $13 billion since 2019, is also participating in the round. The exact amounts to be invested by Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft remain undisclosed.
On August 29, OpenAI announced that its flagship product, ChatGPT, has doubled its weekly active users from the previous year, now surpassing 200 million. Despite this growth, the company’s revenue has not met some expectations, with annualized sales reaching approximately $3.4 billion as of May 2024.
Apple's potential investment would be a significant shift for the company, which has historically been selective with its investments. In 2016, Apple invested $1 billion in Chinese startup DiDi Chuxing and also contributed $1 billion to SoftBank’s Vision Fund to secure strategic technology components for its devices.
Edited by Harshajit Sarmah
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Harshajit Sarmah
