OpenAI is in talks to sell shares at US$86 billion valuation

OPENAI is in talks to sell existing employees’ shares at an US$86 billion valuation, according to sources with knowledge of the matter.

The artificial intelligence (AI) startup behind ChatGPT is negotiating the transaction, known as a tender offer, with potential investors, said the sources, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information. The firm has not finalised allocations and terms could still change, some of the sources said.

OpenAI, which counts Microsoft as a 49 per cent owner, is led by chief executive officer Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman. At US$86 billion, it would leapfrog the likes of Stripe and Chinese online retailer Shein to become one of the world’s most valuable closely held companies, behind Elon Musk’s SpaceX and TikTok parent ByteDance.

A representative for San Francisco-based OpenAI did not immediately reply to messages seeking comment.

The company is on track to generate US$1 billion of annual revenue as businesses adopt the technology, Bloomberg reported in August.

Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that OpenAI was discussing a potential share sale that would value the startup at US$80 billion to US$90 billion. BLOOMBERG