Microsoft and OpenAI announced Thursday a non-binding deal outlining terms that would allow OpenAI to restructure into a for-profit company, marking a key step in the high-profile partnership fueling ChatGPT’s growth.
The new commercial arrangements, details of which were not disclosed, are intended to finalize a definitive agreement enabling OpenAI to raise capital under a more conventional governance structure and eventually go public to fund artificial intelligence development.
Microsoft previously invested $1 billion in OpenAI in 2019 and $10 billion at the start of 2023. Under prior agreements, Microsoft had exclusive rights to sell OpenAI software via Azure and preferred access to its technology. The company was once OpenAI’s sole compute provider but relaxed its role this year, allowing OpenAI to pursue its own data center project, Stargate, and sign multi-billion-dollar cloud deals with Oracle and Google.
As OpenAI’s revenue grows into the billions, it seeks partnerships with additional cloud providers to expand sales and secure computing capacity. Microsoft, meanwhile, wants continued access to OpenAI’s technology even if its models reach humanlike intelligence, a milestone that could end the current partnership under previous terms.
OpenAI’s nonprofit arm is expected to receive over $100 billion, about 20 percent of the $500 billion valuation the company seeks in private markets, making it one of the best-funded nonprofits globally, according to Bret Taylor, chairman of OpenAI’s nonprofit board. The companies did not disclose Microsoft’s ownership stake or whether it would retain exclusive access to OpenAI’s newest models.
Regulatory approval is still required from attorneys general in California and Delaware. OpenAI hopes to complete the conversion by year-end to secure billions in funding tied to the timeline.
The two companies compete across products ranging from consumer chatbots to AI tools for businesses, while Microsoft continues developing its own AI models to reduce reliance on OpenAI technology.
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 29th of April, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Elon Musk took the stand on Tuesday (28 April) at a high-stakes trial over the future of OpenAI, casting his lawsuit against the ChatGPT maker as a defence of charitable giving.
A pivotal trial that could shape the governance of artificial intelligence begins Tuesday in California, as Elon Musk and Sam Altman face off over OpenAI’s shift to a for-profit model.
The United States has issued an international warning accusing Chinese firms, including AI start-up DeepSeek, of allegedly stealing intellectual property from American artificial intelligence labs.
A Pentagon official provided the first official estimate of the cost of the U.S. war in Iran on Wednesday (29 April), telling lawmakers that $25 billion had so far been spent on the conflict, most of it on munitions. Earlier, Donald Trump said that the U.S. had "militarily defeated" Tehran.
Tensions between the United States and Iran remain high after a U.S. official said President Donald Trump was unhappy with a proposal from Tehran that does not deal with its nuclear programme. Washington is insisting that any talks must address Iran’s nuclear activities.
The decision by the United Arab Emirates to leave OPEC+ on 1 May has put renewed focus on one of the most influential groups in global energy - and how its decisions can shape oil prices worldwide.
Mexican special forces arrested Audias Flores, known as “El Jardinero”, a senior commander of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during an operation in the western state of Nayarit, Security Minister Omar García Harfuch said on Monday (27 April).
The United Arab Emirates has said it's quitting OPEC from 1 May, dealing a major blow to the oil producers’ group and its de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, amid disruption caused by the Iran war.
Elon Musk took the stand on Tuesday (28 April) at a high-stakes trial over the future of OpenAI, casting his lawsuit against the ChatGPT maker as a defence of charitable giving.
A pivotal trial that could shape the governance of artificial intelligence begins Tuesday in California, as Elon Musk and Sam Altman face off over OpenAI’s shift to a for-profit model.
Alphabet Inc’s Google has deepened its operational relationship with the United States Department of Defense (DoD), quietly signing a wide-ranging agreement to deploy artificial intelligence models in highly classified environments.
Market reaction to DeepSeek’s preview of its next-generation artificial intelligence model has been relatively subdued, in sharp contrast to the global shock triggered by its breakthrough releases last year.
Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said it's installing software on its employees computers to capture keystrokes and mouse movements to use to train its artificial intelligence (AI) agent models.
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