Artificial intelligence startup OpenAI is discussing a new funding round that could value it at $340 billion, more than doubling its previous valuation of $157 billion. The Wall Street Journal reported that OpenAI is in early talks for up to $40 billion, with Japanese investment firm SoftBank leading the charge and contributing between $15 billion and $25 billion.
The proposed funding would significantly increase OpenAI’s value, surpassing that of its competitor DeepSeek, which has a valuation of at least $1 billion. This development comes amid growing competition in the AI sector, as companies like Amazon-backed Anthropic and Microsoft are allocating substantial funds for AI initiatives.
OpenAI’s current valuation is largely driven by its successful projects, including Project Stargate, a Trump-backed AI infrastructure initiative that aims to create hundreds of thousands of American jobs. The company has generated $300 million in monthly revenue and expects $3.7 billion in annual sales for 2024.
However, the emergence of DeepSeek has raised questions about the cost-effectiveness of large-scale funding for AI startups. Despite claims by DeepSeek’s founder that the company developed an AI model at a significantly lower cost, experts have expressed skepticism about this figure, pointing out substantial additional costs associated with model development.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2025/01/30/openai-eyeing-funding-round-that-would-double-its-value-report-says