According to the New York Times, as reported on Friday, OpenAI, supported by Microsoft (MSFT.O), has finalized a deal placing its valuation at over $80 billion.
The arrangement involves a tender offer for selling existing shares, spearheaded by Thrive Capital. This setup allows OpenAI employees to sell their company shares, differing from a conventional funding round aimed at raising capital for the organization.
This deal follows a similar transaction from the previous year where venture capital firms including Thrive Capital, Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and K2 Global purchased OpenAI shares in a tender offer, then valuing the company at approximately $29 billion. The emergence of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022 has significantly heightened interest in AI technology, with various companies investigating how to leverage this advancement.
Furthermore, OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, is reportedly seeking funding for a chip venture to increase global chip production capacity, aiming to advance AI tool development.
