OpenAI’s valuation hits $852 billion after raising $122 billion, far exceeding projections as it builds AI infrastructure and faces intensifying competition.
SAN FRANCISCO: OpenAI announced a USD 122 billion funding round on Tuesday, valuing the artificial intelligence startup at a staggering USD 852 billion.
The colossal sum surpassed initial projections, reflecting the immense costs of computing power and ongoing questions about AI firms’ revenue sustainability.
“The capital being deployed today is helping build the infrastructure layer for intelligence itself,” OpenAI stated in a blog post.
It added that this value would eventually flow back into the global economy, benefiting companies, communities and individuals.
The ChatGPT-maker revealed its monthly revenue rate is now USD 2 billion and growing rapidly.
Investment partners in this round included Amazon, Microsoft, Nvidia and Softbank.
In an unusual detail, approximately USD 3 billion was reportedly raised from individual investors.
OpenAI also highlighted its consumer dominance, with ChatGPT boasting over 900 million weekly active users and about 50 million subscribers.
Usage of its online search engine has tripled in the past year.
“These are not just growth milestones — they show that frontier AI is becoming part of everyday life for people around the world,” the company said.
To boost revenue further, the firm began rolling out advertising for non-premium users in February.
It simultaneously announced development of a “superapp” combining ChatGPT, internet browsing, the Codex coding tool and agentic capabilities for autonomous digital assistants.
The funding surge arrives amid speculation that OpenAI plans to go public this year as sector competition intensifies.
Arch-rival Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI staff, continues gaining ground with its Claude AI models.
Anthropic secured a USD 30 billion funding round earlier this year.
Google’s Gemini has emerged as another potent competitor, while Elon Musk’s xAI is also attracting significant investment and users.
