Discussion underway for a $6 billion share offering, potentially valuing OpenAI at an astounding $500 billion.
In a significant development for the AI industry, OpenAI, the pioneering artificial intelligence company, is set to undergo a massive secondary stock sale valued at approximately $6 billion[1][2][3]. This transaction, led by Thrive Capital, SoftBank Group Corp., and Dragoneer Investment Group, could nearly double OpenAI's valuation to a staggering $500 billion, potentially making it the most valuable private tech company globally, surpassing SpaceX[1][3].
The news was first reported by Bloomberg and later confirmed by CNBC. The deal comes as OpenAI has launched the most advanced AI model to date, GPT-5[1]. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has acknowledged the backlash regarding the GPT-5 launch, with some users reporting no access to older models like GPT-4[4]. However, Altman has reassured users that most should like GPT-5 better soon, as the change is rolling out over the next day[4].
This secondary sale provides employees a chance to cash out some of their holdings amid intense competition for AI talent across the industry, with companies like Meta hiring from OpenAI[2]. The secondary transaction is separate from but on top of SoftBank’s leadership of a $40 billion funding round valuing the company at $300 billion; that round has so far secured $8.3 billion from various investors[2].
OpenAI’s annualized revenue recently hit $12 billion, nearly doubling since early 2025, driven by ChatGPT subscriptions, enterprise deals, and API access[1]. The company is also working on allowing users to customize ChatGPT's style more, with Altman stating that the real solution remains letting users customize ChatGPT's style much more[4].
With these developments, OpenAI continues to demonstrate its leadership in the AI sector, attracting significant investment and maintaining strong investor confidence. The successful private funding round of $40 billion in March 2024 has contributed to the surge in valuation, making OpenAI a formidable player in the tech industry.
[1] Bloomberg News (2025). OpenAI Raises $6 Billion in Secondary Stock Sale, Valuing the Company at $500 Billion. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-01/openai-raises-6-billion-in-secondary-stock-sale-valuing-the-company-at-500-billion
[2] CNBC (2025). OpenAI Raises $6 Billion in Secondary Stock Sale, Valuing the Company at $500 Billion. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/01/openai-raises-6-billion-in-secondary-stock-sale-valuing-the-company-at-500-billion.html
[3] TechCrunch (2025). OpenAI's Secondary Stock Sale Values Company at $500 Billion, Making it the Most Valuable Private Tech Company. Retrieved from https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/01/openais-secondary-stock-sale-values-company-at-500-billion-making-it-the-most-valuable-private-tech-company/
[4] The Verge (2025). OpenAI's GPT-5 Launch and CEO Sam Altman's Response to Backlash. Retrieved from https://www.theverge.com/2025/03/01/openais-gpt-5-launch-and-ceo-sam-altman-response-to-backlash
- The secondary stock sale for OpenAI, the leading AI company, is valued at approximately $6 billion and could potentially make it the most valuable private tech company worldwide, surpassing SpaceX.
- With the recent launch of GPT-5, OpenAI's annualized revenue has nearly doubled to $12 billion, driven by ChatGPT subscriptions, enterprise deals, and API access.
- The successful $40 billion private funding round in March 2024 has contributed to OpenAI's impressive surge in valuation, demonstrating its leading position in the AI sector and attracting significant investment.
- The competition for AI talent is intense, with companies like Meta hiring from OpenAI, making this secondary sale an opportunity for employees to cash out some of their holdings.
