OpenAI is reportedly seeking new funding to enhance its competitiveness, despite recent calls for a slowdown in artificial intelligence (AI) development. The company had initially planned to go public this year, but that IPO has been delayed, prompting the need for additional financing.
On September 15, the Financial Times reported, citing multiple sources, that OpenAI is in discussions with major investors to raise its valuation to $1.2 trillion (approximately 1,637 trillion won). One source noted that OpenAI has invested billions of dollars in training AI models over the past few years, stating, "Capital is needed."
In March, OpenAI raised $122 billion, with its valuation estimated at $852 billion. If the new funding proceeds as planned, OpenAI's valuation could nearly double from its current level.
However, sources indicate that discussions about the new funding are still in the early stages, and specific figures may change. Additionally, the timing and decision regarding the new funding are intertwined with OpenAI's IPO plans. The company submitted a confidential filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in June but later postponed its IPO timeline. Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, mentioned in an interview with Fortune magazine on September 12 that going public this year is likely not feasible, stating that the timing is "not appropriate."
Despite this, OpenAI is looking to capitalize on the growing demand for its recently announced AI models, GPT-5.6 and GPT-6 Astra, as it seeks to strengthen its position in the competitive AI landscape. This need for new funding arises as OpenAI continues to face pressure to improve its performance and competitiveness.
In contrast, OpenAI's competitor Anthropic is valued at $965 billion and has surpassed OpenAI. Anthropic is expected to report profits for the third quarter following a profitable second quarter and is rumored to be planning an IPO as early as next month, highlighting the competitive pressures on OpenAI, which is still operating at a loss.
Interestingly, the news of OpenAI's funding pursuit comes amid heightened discussions about slowing down AI development. Major U.S. AI companies, including Anthropic and OpenAI, have called for a reduction in the pace of advanced AI model development due to concerns over reckless development and associated risks. However, critics argue that these companies are not aligning their actions with their rhetoric, as they continue to focus on enhancing their competitiveness.
Additionally, Anthropic has reportedly signed a six-year, $13.7 billion computing contract with the Lum Group, which has ties to the Trump administration, according to a report by the technology news outlet The Information on September 13.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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