OpenAI seeks $30 billion funding at $1.4 trillion valuation

OpenAI is reportedly in talks to raise a significant amount of capital, potentially $30 billion, in a new funding round that could value the artificial intelligence company at approximately $1.4 trillion. This proposed valuation, as cited by Bloomberg, would be a substantial leap from OpenAI's previous valuation. The discussion around the funding is still in its early stages, and the terms might change.

The primary driver for this round, according to sources, is investor interest, as OpenAI continues to see strong revenue growth due to the increasing adoption of its AI products. The funding is expected to serve as a bridge, offering the company additional capital after it opted against proceeding with an IPO this year. OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, has stated that the company aims to go public, but wants to take more time before doing so.

Altman also highlighted that OpenAI is currently navigating a new phase in AI development, which comes with heightened safety requirements. Both OpenAI and its competitor, Anthropic, have reportedly submitted confidential paperwork for potential public listings. Anthropic is potentially set to proceed with its listing as early as this fall.

The two companies are also vying for enterprise customers, as businesses ramp up their spending on generative AI tools. OpenAI's push for additional funding is taking place in the context of rapid revenue growth. The company's annualised revenue run rate surpassed $40 billion over the summer, with a 70% increase since July, as reported by Bloomberg.

This growth is being fueled by the expansion of OpenAI's AI product offerings and subscription plans. At its recent developer event, OpenAI unveiled Dots, an always-on AI agent capable of performing more complex tasks, which competes with similar offerings from major tech firms. The company is also introducing a premium $500 subscription tier, providing higher usage limits and faster processing speeds, while adjusting the limits on its existing $200 plan.

OpenAI's latest fundraising discussions come after a series of increasingly large capital raises that have rapidly increased its valuation. If the proposed $1.4 trillion valuation holds, OpenAI would be nearly five times the $300 billion valuation it achieved in its April 2025 funding round, reflecting the swift increase in investor valuations for leading AI companies.