OpenAI Plans Secondary Stock Sale Valuing Company at $50 Billion

Web Editor

August 18, 2025

a close up of a blue and white logo on a cell phone with a blue light shining on it, Ai-Mitsu, affin

Introduction to OpenAI and its Significance

OpenAI, a non-profit artificial intelligence company renowned for developing ChatGPT, is planning to sell around $6 billion worth of shares in a secondary stock sale. This move would value the company at approximately $50 billion, as reported by the US news channel CNBC.

Key Investors in OpenAI

Among the existing investors in OpenAI are SoftBank, Dragoneer Investment Group, and Thrive Capital. It is speculated that Thrive Capital might lead the current round of funding.

Current Status and Potential Changes

The discussions are still in their initial stages, and details may change as per the CNBC report.

Expanding Context: Who is OpenAI and Why is it Relevant?

OpenAI, established in 2015, is a leading non-profit artificial intelligence research company. Its mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all of humanity. The organization conducts research and shares its findings openly to promote the development of safe and beneficial AGI.

OpenAI’s notable achievements include the development of GPT-3, a state-of-the-art language processing AI model. More recently, they introduced ChatGPT, an advanced conversational AI that has garnered significant attention for its capabilities in natural language understanding and generation.

The company’s work has attracted substantial interest from both the private and public sectors. Its mission to ensure AGI benefits everyone positions it as a crucial player in shaping the future of artificial intelligence.

Impact on Investors and the AI Landscape

The secondary stock sale, if it proceeds, would not only provide current and former employees of OpenAI with liquidity but also signal strong confidence in the company’s future prospects to existing and potential investors.

SoftBank, Dragoneer Investment Group, and Thrive Capital have already demonstrated their faith in OpenAI’s vision by investing in the company. A potential leadership role for Thrive Capital in this round of funding could further solidify their commitment and influence OpenAI’s strategic direction.

Key Questions and Answers

  • What is OpenAI planning? OpenAI plans to sell approximately $6 billion worth of shares in a secondary stock sale.
  • What would be the valuation of OpenAI post-sale? The company is expected to be valued around $50 billion following the sale.
  • Who are OpenAI’s current investors? SoftBank, Dragoneer Investment Group, and Thrive Capital are existing investors in OpenAI.
  • Which investor might lead the current funding round? Thrive Capital is speculated to potentially lead the ongoing funding round.
  • How might this sale affect OpenAI and its investors? The sale would provide liquidity for current and former employees while indicating strong confidence in OpenAI’s future to investors.