Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that OpenAI is in talks with investors to raise at least $30 billion in a pre-IPO funding round at a valuation of roughly $1.4 trillion.
Investors are reportedly keen to provide additional capital to the maker of ChatGPT ahead of its expected public market debut. Bloomberg noted that although Anthropic briefly outpaced OpenAI earlier in the year, the company has since refocused strategically on key areas such as coding-related products. That shift helped drive a roughly 70% increase in run-rate revenue since July, reaching $40 billion in August.
Previously, OpenAI raised $122 billion in March at an $852 billion valuation; that funding round was described at the time as the company’s last private raise prior to an IPO. A public listing had been anticipated this year, but Sam Altman, chief executive officer of OpenAI, has since ruled out a 2026 debut in order to prioritise AI safety first.
Altman told Fortune: “I think it is unacceptable to be taking like a 10% chance of killing everybody by the end of the decade,” a remark given in response to warnings from safety researchers about AI posing an existential risk to humanity.
According to Bloomberg, if the new fundraising goes ahead it would serve as a bridge round to an eventual IPO. OpenAI did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.
Why this matters
- The proposed size of the round and the reported valuation indicate continued investor belief in OpenAI’s growth prospects.
- The rapid rise in run-rate revenue (about 70% since July to $40 billion in August) suggests the company’s product strategy is translating into increased sales.
- Delaying an IPO to prioritise AI safety raises strategic questions about how OpenAI will manage long-term risks and regulatory scrutiny.
