OpenAI mulls funding round at US$1.2 trillion valuation ahead of IPO, FT reports

OPENAI has recently held discussions with large investors about a fresh capital raise that would increase the ChatGPT maker’s valuation to about US$1.2 trillion before it goes public, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday (Sep 15), citing people familiar with the matter.

The conversations with investors are at an early stage and the figure could change over the coming months, said the report, adding that the talks were initiated by investors rather than the company.

OpenAI declined to comment on the report.

The company had closed a funding round in March with US$122 billion in committed capital, valuing it at US$852 billion.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said on Saturday that the company would not go public in 2026, citing safety concerns over artificial intelligence.

OpenAI and rival Anthropic are pushing for greater regulation of artificial intelligence to ensure the technology is developed in ways that promote safety amid concerns about security and misuse.

Anthropic is expected to begin marketing its initial public offering in mid-October at the earliest and complete the listing days before the US midterm elections in November, Reuters reported earlier this month. REUTERS