OpenAI is in talks to raise $6.5 billion from investors, in which Apple is expected to participate, at a valuation of $150 billion, Bloomberg News reports Wednesday citing “people familiar with the situation.”
Rachel Metz, Edward Ludlow, Gillian Tan, and Mark Bergen for Bloomberg News:
The new valuation, a figure that doesn’t include the money being raised, is significantly higher than the $86 billion valuation from the company’s tender offer earlier this year, and cements its place as one of the most valuable startups in the world.
At the same time, OpenAI is also in talks to raise $5 billion in debt from banks in the form of a revolving credit facility, said one of the people, all of whom asked not to be identified discussing private information…
The funding round is slated to be led by Thrive Capital, Bloomberg previously reported. Microsoft Corp., the company’s largest investor, is also set to participate, and Apple Inc. and Nvidia Corp., have been in talks about investing.
MacDailyNews Take: It makes sense for Apple to get more involved in OpenAI, especially as its ChatGPT is a tentpole of Apple Intelligence. In July, both Apple and Microsoft dropped potential OpenAI board seats amid antitrust scrutiny, so backing the AI firm is the next best thing to having a seat at the table.
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