OpenAI has reportedly raised $11 billion so far in a new funding round that values the company at $1.25 trillion. Bloomberg reported the figures on Friday, November 6, citing people familiar with the matter, according to TechCrunch and Investing.com. TechCrunch notes that it has not confirmed the report and had reached out to OpenAI for comment.
What is reported. The $11 billion is the first part of a larger round that has not closed yet. It is expected to close in the coming weeks and could reach about $20 billion in total, according to a source cited by Bloomberg. Other coverage says the money was transferred to the company on Friday. Reports differ in wording, with one headline saying the round closed and TechCrunch saying it has not, so the safest reading is that this is a first close of a round still open.
Below the original target. In late September, Bloomberg reported that OpenAI was looking to raise $30 billion at a valuation of $1.4 trillion. TechCrunch says the current figures fall well short of that target. As covered in an earlier article here, OpenAI’s target was reported at $20 billion at the end of October, with the first close expected below that level.
Who is investing. TechCrunch’s article does not name the investors in the $11 billion. Other reports citing Reuters name SoftBank and MGX among the participants. One report describes the $1.25 trillion figure as a pre-money valuation, meaning it is the value before the new money is counted.
The Anthropic comparison. TechCrunch says Bloomberg also reported that potential buyers of shares in an Anthropic IPO may value that company at as low as $1.1 trillion, compared with the $2 trillion investors were said to expect roughly a month ago, citing CNBC. OpenAI previously suggested it might go public this year but then delayed its plans, and TechCrunch links a Reuters report on expectations of an IPO next year.
The market mood. TechCrunch ties the cooler investor mood to market jitters, citing the US midterm election results and negative voter sentiment about data centers, and links coverage of a Nasdaq drop. Those are the article’s explanations, and OpenAI has not commented on them.
Why it matters. The AI industry depends on enormous sums to pay for chips and data centers, so a smaller raise at a lower valuation would be a sign that investors are becoming more selective. It could affect how fast OpenAI builds capacity, and it is a data point for how public markets may value AI companies when they list. For readers in the US and UK, the numbers are a reminder that headline valuations are estimates until deals close.
What to watch. Look for an OpenAI statement, the names of the investors, whether the round reaches $20 billion, and any update on IPO timing for OpenAI and Anthropic.
Sources: TechCrunch and Investing.com, citing Bloomberg, with detail from Reuters-based reports. Figures are as reported and unconfirmed by OpenAI. This is not investment advice.
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