OpenAI’s reported funding talks come months after its $122 billion capital raise valued the ChatGPT maker at $852 billion, while CEO Sam Altman has ruled out an IPO in 2026
OpenAI is discussing a possible new funding round with major investors that could value the ChatGPT maker at around $1.2 trillion, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.
The discussions are still at an early stage and the potential valuation could change as talks progress, the report said, adding that the approach to OpenAI was made by investors rather than the company.
If completed at that valuation, the fundraising would represent a sharp increase from the $852 billion valuation OpenAI secured in its latest funding round in March.
The company raised $122 billion in committed capital in that round as it seeks to finance the rapidly rising costs of developing and operating advanced artificial intelligence systems.
OpenAI’s valuation rises
The potential $1.2 trillion valuation would put OpenAI among the world’s most highly valued private companies and mark an increase of about 41 per cent from its March valuation.
The company’s rapid growth has been accompanied by heavy spending on computing capacity, data centres and other infrastructure needed to develop and run increasingly capable AI models.
Investor interest in another private funding round also comes as major AI companies compete for access to capital and computing resources.
More from BusinessFor OpenAI, raising money privately would provide additional funding while allowing the company to remain outside public markets for the time being.
IPO not planned for 2026
The funding discussions come days after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company would not go public this year.
Altman said earlier that an IPO would not happen in 2026, pointing to concerns around AI safety. His comments pushed back against expectations that OpenAI could move towards a stock market listing in the near term.
The company has not ruled out an IPO at a later date.
A private funding round could therefore give OpenAI another route to raise substantial capital without having to immediately pursue a public listing.
