OpenAI Targets $500B Valuation in Significant Employee Share Sale
OpenAI, the renowned artificial intelligence company, is reportedly in preliminary discussions about a potential $6 billion share sale. This move would catapult the company’s valuation to an estimated $500 billion, a staggering 67% increase from its current $300 billion valuation achieved mere months ago.
The secondary stock sale would provide an opportunity for both current and former employees to monetize their equity stakes, as the ChatGPT creator continues on its explosive growth trajectory. Spearheaded by existing investor Thrive Capital, these discussions follow closely behind OpenAI’s record-breaking $40 billion funding round earlier this year, underscoring the unprecedented investor interest in AI companies.
This strategic move would solidify OpenAI’s standing among the world’s most valuable private companies, second only to SpaceX at $350 billion.
The potential valuation surge is on the heels of OpenAI’s recent launch of GPT-5 and the announcement that ChatGPT now serves 500 million weekly users, a significant increase from 400 million just last month. The company projects its revenue to triple to $12.7 billion by the end of the year, positioning it as the undisputed frontrunner in the generative AI race against competitors such as Anthropic and Google.
The timing of the share sale is strategic, offering employee liquidity as OpenAI navigates its complex transition from a nonprofit to a for-profit entity.
- With rival companies like Anthropic reportedly seeking $170 billion valuations, the AI sector continues to attract massive investment despite questions about long-term profitability and market sustainability.