OpenAI in talks over funding that would value it near $1.2 trillion before IPO, FT reports

Sept 15 (Reuters) - OpenAI has held recent talks with major investors about a new capital raise that would push the ChatGPT developer's valuation to roughly $1.2 trillion ahead of its public listing, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

According to the report, the discussions with investors are still at an early stage and the figure could shift over the coming months. The talks were initiated by the investors rather than by the company, the report added.

OpenAI has declined to comment on the report.

In March, the company wrapped up a funding round with $122 billion in committed capital, a deal that valued it at $852 billion.

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said on Saturday that the company would not go public in 2026, pointing to safety concerns surrounding artificial intelligence.

OpenAI and rival Anthropic are both pressing for stronger regulation of artificial intelligence, aiming to ensure the technology is developed in ways that advance safety amid worries about security and misuse.

Anthropic is expected to start marketing its initial public offering no earlier than mid-October and to complete the listing just days before the U.S. midterm elections in November, Reuters reported earlier this month.