"OpenAI Discusses Stock Sale... Company Valued at $500 Billion"

JOON HYOUNG LEE

Summary

OpenAI is reportedly in discussions to sell shares valuing the company at $500 billion.
This stock sale discussion follows a proposal by existing investors to purchase shares held by former and current employees.
The number of weekly active users of ChatGPT is expected to reach 700 million this week, highlighting its rapid growth.

ChatGPT developer OpenAI is reportedly in discussions to sell shares pegging the company's value at $500 billion (approximately ₩694 trillion).

According to Bloomberg on the 5th (local time), sources said that existing investors such as Thrive Capital recently proposed to OpenAI to purchase shares held by former and current employees. Through this proposal, OpenAI's valuation reached about $500 billion.

Previously, in April of this year, OpenAI was valued at $300 billion in an investment round led by SoftBank. This means that in just four months, the company’s valuation has jumped by nearly $200 billion.

It is analyzed that the reason for OpenAI's new fundraising is to secure artificial intelligence (AI) talent. In fact, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is reportedly planning to provide funds raised from this investment to employees. Bloomberg reported, "OpenAI has lost several researchers to Meta in recent months," and "the secondary (stock) sale may help retain high-paid employees at the company."

Meanwhile, OpenAI recently announced that ChatGPT's weekly active users are expected to reach 700 million as of this week. As of the end of March this year, ChatGPT's weekly active users were about 500 million.

WLD