OpenAI, now a for-profit company, has raised $6.6 billion in new funding, nearly doubling its value to $157 billion and becoming the largest venture capital deal in history, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. Investors joined in after the AI startup planned to transition from a charitable non-profit to a for-profit, product-focused company, with the threat of funding withdrawal if the move is not made. Thrive Capital led the new round with $1.25 billion, along with other investors like SoftBank, Nvidia, Fidelity Management, and Microsoft. Notably absent from the list is Apple, whose funding deal fell through. OpenAI’s AI app, ChatGPT, has seen a considerable growth in users and subscribers, prompting officials to consider raising the subscription price to $44 within five years from the current $22 a month. This article includes affiliate links, where purchases made through them may earn a commission.
