OpenAI seeks $50B funding round in Middle East at up to $830B valuation

OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman has been meeting with major investors in the Middle East to line up funding for a massive new investment round that could total at least $50 billion, according to reports from Bloomberg and CNBC.

The discussions underscore the scale of capital OpenAI is seeking as it races to build artificial intelligence infrastructure amid intensifying global competition.

Altman recently visited the region and held talks with investors, including leading state-backed funds in Abu Dhabi, the people cited in the report said.

The talks remain at an early stage, and the final size and structure of the round could still change.

Targeting a valuation above $750 Billion

The ChatGPT maker is seeking to raise $50 billion or more at a valuation of roughly $750 billion to $830 billion, according to the report.

CNBC also confirmed that OpenAI is in discussions with sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East for the new funding round, which is expected to total around $50 billion.

The report said the round could close in the first quarter of the year, though term sheets have not yet been signed.

Bloomberg has previously reported that OpenAI also held talks with Amazon.com Inc. about raising at least $10 billion as part of its broader fundraising efforts.

The Information earlier reported that the company had discussed raising tens of billions of dollars at a $750 billion valuation.

If completed at the upper end of the range, the funding round would represent one of the largest private capital raises in history and cement OpenAI’s position among the world’s most valuable private companies.

OpenAI was most recently valued at $500 billion in the fall of 2025 in a transaction that allowed some employees to sell shares.

Capital needs driven by AI infrastructure push

OpenAI has raised billions of dollars in recent years to fund the growing costs associated with developing and deploying advanced AI systems.

These include investments in specialized chips, large-scale data centers, and highly sought-after technical talent.

The company is not yet profitable and has committed to spending more than $1.4 trillion on AI infrastructure in the coming years, according to the report.

The Middle East has emerged as a key source of capital for leading AI developers facing similar financial demands.

Companies such as Anthropic PBC and Elon Musk’s xAI have also turned to investors in the region to support their expansion.

OpenAI has previously raised money from MGX, an Abu Dhabi-based technology investment firm, and has partnered with G42 to build a large data center in the United Arab Emirates.

Competition heats up across the AI sector

Despite OpenAI’s prominence, competition in the AI sector is intensifying.

Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Anthropic are among the rivals vying for market share and investor backing.

Anthropic is also in talks to raise a large funding round at a valuation of about $350 billion, Bloomberg News has reported.

OpenAI rose to global prominence after launching ChatGPT in 2022, helping ignite the current AI boom.

Last year, the company closed a $40 billion financing round led by SoftBank, the largest private technology funding on record, with participation from Microsoft, Coatue, Altimeter, and Thrive.

In October, OpenAI also finalized a $6.6 billion share sale that boosted its valuation to $500 billion.