OpenAI seeks pre-IPO funding round with valuation target of $1.2 trillion

Beating AI News Flash: According to the Financial Times, OpenAI is in preliminary discussions with investors for a new round of private financing, targeting a valuation of approximately $1.2 trillion, in preparation for a future IPO. People familiar with the matter revealed that OpenAI reached a valuation of $852 billion after completing a funding round in March this year. Recently, driven by the latest AI models boosting market demand, the company is discussing further financing plans with large investors. The negotiations are still at an early stage, and the final valuation and financing scale may change.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman previously stated that the company's IPO may not come earlier than 2027, and believes that going public is not the best timing amid the current environment of rising discussions about AI safety risks. After the release of new models such as GPT-5.6 and Astra, OpenAI's revenue growth has accelerated, with annualized revenue exceeding $40 billion. The company has previously said it has sufficient funds, but training large models still requires continuous substantial capital investment.