OpenAI confidentially files US initial public offering

OpenAI has confidentially filed for a US initial public offering (IPO) with a potential valuation of up to $1 trillion, though no timeline or offering size has been disclosed. The move follows a $110 billion funding round earlier this year and comes amid investor interest in AI-driven tech stocks, with OpenAI targeting a September debut." "article": "OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has filed confidential documents for a US initial public offering (IPO), signaling its intent to enter the stock market amid a surge in investor demand for artificial intelligence firms. The company did not disclose the size of the offering or a specific timeline, stating that certain strategic moves may be easier to execute as a private entity. Reuters previously reported OpenAI is aiming for a valuation of up to $1 trillion, positioning it as a potential trillion-dollar company alongside SpaceX and Anthropic. The IPO could mark a pivotal moment for the tech industry, as AI emerges as a dominant investment theme. OpenAI’s rapid growth is underscored by its $110 billion funding round in early 2025, backed by investors including SoftBank, Amazon, and Nvidia, which valued the company at $840 billion. ChatGPT alone boasts over 900 million weekly active users and more than 50 million paid subscribers, driving OpenAI’s revenue to $2 billion monthly—a growth rate four times faster than internet giants like Alphabet and Meta. Founded in 2015 as a nonprofit, OpenAI transitioned to a hybrid for-profit structure in 2019 to fund AI development. Its governance faced scrutiny in late 2023 when CEO Sam Altman was briefly ousted before returning after employee backlash. In December 2024, OpenAI announced plans to restructure as a public benefit corporation, a move criticized by early backer Elon Musk, who later sued the company for allegedly deviating from its original mission. A US jury ruled in May 2025 that OpenAI was not liable, clearing a legal hurdle for its IPO plans. The filing follows OpenAI’s renegotiation of its partnership with Microsoft, which invested $13 billion since 2019 and fueled growth in Azure’s cloud-computing business. OpenAI’s revenue surged to $2 billion monthly by March 2025, up from $1 billion quarterly at the end of 2024. The company’s IPO, if successful, would join SpaceX’s planned $75 billion offering and Anthropic’s anticipated market entry, solidifying AI’s role as a defining sector for global investors.