Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, a leading artificial intelligence (AI) developer, is reportedly engaged in discussions with investors worldwide to raise trillions of dollars for the development of semiconductor chips. This ambitious project, as reported by The Wall Street Journal on February 8, aims to address the scaling constraints and scarcity of chips crucial for the advancement of high-level AI systems.
Sources close to OpenAI reveal that Altman's fundraising efforts target approximately $5–7 trillion to overcome the challenges associated with chip supply and cost. Altman has been pitching partnerships with various investors, chip manufacturers, and energy providers, proposing that OpenAI would become a significant customer of the new chip factories.
An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed that the company has been engaged in productive discussions regarding the expansion of global infrastructure for chips, energy, and data centers, emphasizing their critical importance for AI and related industries. Altman has also been actively seeking support from government officials, including United States Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and United Arab Emirates National Security Advisor Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed al Nahyan, to garner support from patrons, industry partners, and governments worldwide.
Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank, and representatives from chip-fabrication companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, have reportedly expressed interest in Altman's venture. Additionally, Microsoft, a majority stakeholder in OpenAI, is aware of and supportive of the company's fundraising efforts.
This initiative comes at a time when Nvidia maintains its dominance in the AI chip market, reporting record-breaking revenue amid increased demand for AI models. However, Meta, the parent company of social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, has entered the AI chip market with its latest chip, "Artemis," aiming to enhance AI capabilities and reduce reliance on Nvidia in its data centers.
Altman's ambitious fundraising efforts underscore the growing importance of semiconductor chips in advancing AI technologies and reflect OpenAI's commitment to overcoming key challenges in the field.
