OpenAI closes $10B funding round as enterprise AI spending hits all-time high - Silicon Canals

"The round was led by SoftBank, with significant participation from Microsoft, Thrive Capital, and several sovereign wealth funds from the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. It arrives at a moment when enterprise AI spending has hit an all-time high globally, with Gartner projecting that worldwide AI software spending will surpass $297 billion in 2025, a 32% increase year-over-year."

"The valuation reflects a bet that OpenAI will become the default operating layer for enterprise AI, much the way Microsoft Windows became the default operating system for personal computing in the 1990s."

"The funding comes with conditions. According to reports from the Financial Times, the round includes provisions tied to OpenAI's ongoing transition from a capped-profit structure to a full for-profit entity, a restructuring that has drawn scrutiny from regulators and former board members alike."

OpenAI completed a $10 billion funding round led by SoftBank with participation from Microsoft, Thrive Capital, and sovereign wealth funds, valuing the company at $300 billion post-money. This represents one of the largest private capital raises in technology history and reflects a fundamental shift in institutional investor perception of AI as essential enterprise infrastructure rather than speculative investment. The valuation places OpenAI ahead of Goldman Sachs, Uber, and IBM, suggesting investors view it as the default operating layer for enterprise AI. The funding includes conditions tied to OpenAI's transition from capped-profit to full for-profit structure, with investor protections if conversion doesn't occur within specified timeframes. This fundraise occurs amid record enterprise AI spending, with global AI software spending projected to exceed $297 billion in 2025, representing 32% year-over-year growth.

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