OpenAI is reportedly close to securing another huge private funding round rather than proceeding with an IPO. AI Labs is working to raise up to $30 billion at a pre-money valuation of $1.25 trillion in a round led by Coatue and UAE investors, people told CNBC.
This follows a similar report by Bloomberg a month ago, which said the AI Institute was working to raise $30 billion at a valuation of $1.4 trillion. Both media outlets report that the terms are still being negotiated and may ultimately change. CNBC reports that funding from the UAE could be tied to a deal that secures more computing power for OpenAI from the UAE as well. OpenAI declined to comment.
If OpenAI receives a valuation of over $1 trillion from this round, it would break the record as the most valued private company in history. This valuation will likely raise the bar for OpenAI’s future IPO. OpenAI filed confidential IPO filings in June after its previous fundraising in March valued the ChatGPT maker at $852 billion post-money.
This high valuation could also impact Anthropic’s IPO, which many believe is close to happening. (Rumor has it that we could see Anthropic’s public S-1 filing any day now.) The latest report is that Anthropic is seeking a valuation of $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion for its public debut, CNBC reported. Anthropic raised $65 billion in May at a valuation of $965 billion in what many believed at the time would be its last big round before its IPO. Confidential documents were also submitted in June.
