OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, is seeking a staggering $500 billion valuation through a potential sale of employee shares, according to a source familiar with the matter.
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This valuation would mark a significant leap from the company’s current $300 billion figure and reflects OpenAI’s rapid growth in user base and revenue, as well as the intensifying competition among AI companies to attract top-tier talent.
The source, who requested anonymity due to the private nature of the discussions, said the deal — likely to precede an initial public offering (IPO) — would allow current and former employees to sell shares worth several billion dollars.
Soaring Revenue and User Growth
Driven by its flagship product, ChatGPT, OpenAI has doubled its revenue in the first seven months of this year. The company is now operating at an annual run rate of $12 billion, with expectations to reach $20 billion by year-end, the source added.
Backed by Microsoft (traded under ticker MSFT.O), OpenAI’s user base has surged to around 700 million weekly active users, up from 400 million in February for its ChatGPT products.
Follow-Up to Major Funding Round
The share-sale discussions come in the wake of a major funding round announced earlier this year, during which OpenAI aimed to raise $40 billion, led by Japan’s SoftBank Group (9984.T).
According to the source, the rest of the funding was covered at a $300 billion valuation, while SoftBank has until the end of the year to contribute its $22.5 billion portion of the round.
AI Talent War Intensifies
Major tech firms are fiercely competing to attract top AI talent with lucrative compensation packages. For instance, Meta Platforms (META.O) is investing billions in Scale AI, reportedly in an attempt to recruit its 28-year-old CEO Alexandr Wang to lead Meta’s new superintelligence unit.
Unlisted companies such as ByteDance, Databricks, and Ramp have also utilized internal share sales to update their market valuations and reward employees with long-term incentives.
Investor Interest and Corporate Restructuring
Current OpenAI investors — including Thrive Capital — are reportedly in talks to participate in the employee share sale. Thrive Capital declined to comment. Bloomberg was the first to report the potential sale.
OpenAI is also undertaking a major restructuring of its corporate framework, aiming to shift away from its current "capped-profit" model and pave the way for a potential future IPO.
— Reuters
