Key Points
- OpenAI’s valuation has jumped to $500 billion. The new valuation follows the sale of approximately $6.6 billion worth of shares by employees.
- This represents a significant increase from the company’s previous valuation of $300 billion.
- The stock sale was a way to reward and retain talent amid fierce competition for AI experts.
- OpenAI’s revenue is also soaring, with the company on track for a record year.
OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has reached a staggering $500 billion valuation after its employees sold off about $6.6 billion worth of their shares. A source familiar with the deal confirmed the new valuation on Thursday, which represents a massive jump from the company’s previous $300 billion mark.
The deal highlights OpenAI’s explosive growth and the intense demand for a piece of the AI leader. In the transaction, current and former employees sold their shares to a group of high-profile investors, including Thrive Capital, SoftBank, and Abu Dhabi’s MGX.
This employee stock sale is a strategic move to reward and retain top talent in a hyper-competitive market. With tech giants like Meta spending billions to poach AI experts, offering employees the opportunity to cash in on their stock is a powerful incentive to stay.
OpenAI’s incredible financial performance backs the new valuation. The company’s revenue is soaring, with one report stating that it brought in $4.3 billion in the first half of 2025 alone, more than it made in all of 2024.
The deal follows a separate, massive $40 billion primary funding round led by SoftBank, further cementing OpenAI’s position as the most valuable and well-funded player in the AI race.
