OpenAI is reportedly in early talks about a secondary stock sale that would let current and former employees sell their shares. With this sale, OpenAI is aiming for a valuation near $500 billion, marking a significant jump from a previous report that valued OpenAI at $300 billion. Notably, an employee stock share sale or a secondary stock sale is when current or former employees of a company sell their shares to outside investors.
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For context, OpenAI reportedly secured $8.3 billion in new funding earlier this week at a $300 billion valuation. This investment is part of the company’s larger $40 billion fundraising target for 2025.
More About OpenAI’s Latest Share Sale
According to market reports, investors such as Thrive Capital are exploring the purchase of employee-held shares in OpenAI’s secondary stock sale. However, the talks are private, and sources requested anonymity as they are not authorized to speak publicly.
If the deal moves forward, it would boost OpenAI’s valuation by about two-thirds from its earlier $300 billion mark set during a $40 billion funding round led by SoftBank Group (SFTBY). This would further cement its position as one of the world’s most highly valued private companies.
ChatGPT Crosses 700 Million Weekly Users
OpenAI’s main product, ChatGPT, recently crossed a major mark of 700 million weekly users, up from 500 million in March. The company’s annual revenue also reportedly reached $12 billion. The figure is more than double the $5.5 billion reported in December 2024, driven by strong demand for its AI tools from both consumers and enterprise users.
On the other hand, OpenAI’s rapid growth is leading to higher expenses. The company now expects to spend $8 billion in 2025, about $1 billion more than earlier estimates. Much of this cost is going toward building infrastructure, like renting computer chips and setting up data centers to handle its expanding AI models.
Which Is the Best AI Stock to Buy, According to Analysts?
Investors looking to buy into OpenAI in 2025 may be let down, as the company remains private and doesn’t offer its shares to the public.
Still, those interested in the AI space can consider other major AI-related stocks. To help with this, we’ve used TipRanks’ stock comparison tool to compare several top AI companies. Users can also conduct further research to identify the most promising stock based on analyst ratings and other insights.
