Employees Eye Major Stock Sale

OpenAI employees are reportedly preparing to sell up to $6 billion worth of shares in a secondary offering, according to a person familiar with the matter. The move, still under discussion, could draw interest from SoftBank and other global investors eager to deepen their bets on artificial intelligence.

Secondary Deal May Push Valuation Higher

The sale would not involve raising new capital for OpenAI but rather allow staff and early backers to cash out part of their holdings. If successful, the deal could value the company at over $150 billion, further cementing OpenAI’s status as one of the most valuable private tech firms in the world.

SoftBank Among Interested Buyers

Japan’s SoftBank Group, known for its Vision Fund’s massive tech investments, is said to be in talks to acquire a large portion of the shares. Other institutional investors are also showing interest, reflecting heightened competition in the AI sector as companies race to deploy large language models and related tools.

Strategic Implications for OpenAI

While the transaction would not directly affect OpenAI’s operating budget, it signals growing confidence in the firm’s future. Analysts note that such a valuation boost could strengthen OpenAI’s bargaining power in partnerships, licensing deals, and AI infrastructure investments.

AI Industry in Spotlight

The timing of the stock sale aligns with intensifying global demand for AI technologies, from enterprise software to consumer-facing applications. With rivals like Anthropic, Google DeepMind, and xAI also raising funds, OpenAI’s potential valuation leap demonstrates how investors are wagering heavily on the commercial future of AI.