Tiger Global, a prominent investor in tech startups and later-stage companies, is reportedly planning to join OpenAI's new funding round, which could value the artificial intelligence startup at over $150 billion. Thrive Capital is set to lead the round with a $1 billion investment, while tech giants Microsoft, Nvidia, and Apple are also in talks to participate.
Tiger Global, based in New York, has a history of investing in fast-growing AI companies, including OpenAI, which it first bought shares in back in 2021. The news of Tiger Global's planned participation was first reported by The Information.
OpenAI's valuation has been on a steady rise, reaching $80 billion earlier this year, up from $29 billion the previous year. The company's annualized revenue reportedly surpassed $2 billion earlier this year, driven by the success of its ChatGPT chatbot and expansion into AI-generated photos and videos.
The announcement of Tiger Global's involvement comes on the heels of OpenAI releasing o1, a new AI model focused on reasoning and problem-solving. CEO Sam Altman recently met with leaders from Anthropic, Nvidia, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and others at the White House to discuss the future of AI in U.S. energy infrastructure.
The group discussed issues such as AI's energy usage, data center capacity, semiconductor manufacturing, and grid capacity, aiming to bring together the public and private sectors to address these challenges. A spokesperson for OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Overall, OpenAI's continued growth and the interest from investors like Tiger Global and tech giants indicate a strong market demand for AI technologies and solutions. The company's success underscores the growing importance of AI in various industries and its potential to drive innovation and efficiency.