OpenAI has concluded a funding round, raising $122 billion from investors at a valuation of $852 billion. This represents the largest financing round in the company's history and will support substantial investments in chips, data centers, and talent acquisition.

The financing process spanned several months and involved three major technology firms. Amazon.com committed $50 billion, while Nvidia and SoftBank Group each invested $30 billion. A significant portion of Amazon.com's commitment—$35 billion—is contingent upon OpenAI either going public or achieving a milestone in artificial general intelligence (AGI) technology.

The developer of ChatGPT also secured capital from numerous other prominent backers, including Andreessen Horowitz, Abu Dhabi's MGX, D.E. Shaw Ventures, TPG, and T. Rowe Price. The company's valuation already incorporates the proceeds from this funding round.

For the first time, OpenAI raised over $3 billion from individual investors through banking channels. The startup also announced it will be included in several exchange-traded funds (ETFs) managed by Cathie Wood's Ark Invest, broadening investor access to the company.

OpenAI's Chief Financial Officer, Sarah Friar, stated that this financing "dwarfs even the largest initial public offering (IPO) in history." She indicated that amid public market uncertainties, including geopolitical tensions, the deal is designed to provide the company with "significant flexibility" to invest in computational resources and its AI development roadmap.

Friar emphasized that OpenAI needs to "build the capability to become a public company," describing it as "sound business hygiene," but did not disclose specific IPO plans. She added that an IPO can serve as a pivotal moment for a company to build trust.

On Tuesday, OpenAI reported that its current monthly revenue is approximately $2 billion. Initially known for its consumer-facing products, the company is now making progress in the enterprise sector. Enterprise business revenue currently accounts for 40% of total revenue and is expected to rise to 50% by the end of this year.

Amazon.com's funding commitment includes a cloud services agreement to host and distribute OpenAI's models to enterprise customers. Friar mentioned that the partnership involves a revenue-sharing arrangement, though specific financial details were not disclosed.