Unfortunately, you can’t invest directly in OpenAI — the company behind the free-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) system, ChatGPT — as the company is not publicly-listed. While an initial public offering could happen in the future, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in 2023 that he has no plans to take the company public.(1)
While that may be disappointing news for investors, you can still get exposure to the companies potential successes indirectly by investing in companies that partner with OpenAI. For example, Microsoft has solidified its partnership with OpenAI through “a multiyear, multibillion dollar investment”.(2)
OpenAI was founded in 2015 by a group of mostly computer scientists, with Sam Altman and Elon Musk serving as Chairmen. The startup shot to fame by 2023 with the launch of ChatGPT, an AI-powered advanced language model.
Details about the exact ownership structure of OpenAI are not available because it’s a private company and previously a nonprofit. This means these details do not have to be publicly disclosed. However, the company has recently been valued at at least $80 billion after completing a new deal to sell existing shares in a so-called tender offer led by the venture firm Thrive Capital, according to The New York Times.
In 2019, Microsoft formed a strategic partnership with OpenAI to continue the development of ChatGPT, with Microsoft providing resources and cloud support in exchange for access to leading AI technologies. Microsoft’s cumulative investment in OpenAI reportedly sits at $13 billion as of January 2023.
Though you can’t buy shares of OpenAI, here’s how to buy shares in companies that have exposure to OpenAI, ChatGPT or other AI technologies:
Several companies and prominent figures are reported to have invested in OpenAI since its early beginnings in 2015, including Amazon, Elon Musk, Jessica Livingston and Microsoft. But as OpenAI is a private company, the exact details can be unclear.
Other companies that could benefit from the rise of ChatGPT and related technologies are those building their own AI platforms or partnering with OpenAI to integrate technologies.
Microsoft has the largest known stake in OpenAI, having invested $13 billion since 2019. Microsoft is also the exclusive provider of computing power for OpenAI’s research, products and programming interfaces for developers. GPT-3 is licensed exclusively to Microsoft.
In turn, Microsoft has integrated ChatGPT technology into its Bing search engine in the form of Bing Chat as well as its Microsoft 365 Azure cloud and other software applications.
Amazon is thought to have invested in OpenAI in the early days, but the arrangement is unclear.
Today, Amazon is working on several of its own AI projects, including application technologies that directly rival ChatGPT technology. AI projects include its Alexa voice assistant and AI tools and services available through its Amazon Web Services.
NVIDIA’s graphic processing units (GPUs) have become foundational hardware in AI training, including ChatGPT. In fact, Microsoft has said the supercomputer used to build ChatGBT used thousands of NVIDIA GPUs to power it, and rival companies are following suit.
Although they started in the gaming sector, their AI-specific hardware and software platforms, like CUDA, have made them central to the AI boom.
As NVIDIA’s main rival, AMD has positioned itself well in the AI and machine learning hardware space. Like NVIDIA, it produces GPUs that are applicable in AI processing.
Although NVIDIA’s GPUs are the top choice by companies building AI applications, AMD’s competitor chips may prove themselves in the coming years as demand for GPUs increases.
Google’s parent company invests heavily in AI. DeepMind, a subsidiary of Alphabet, is at the forefront of AI research. Google also utilizes AI in its search algorithms, advertising, Google Assistant, and cloud services.
In early 2023, Google announced the launch of its own AI chatbot, Bard, a direct rival to ChatGPT.
Often referred to as the “Google of China,” Baidu has invested heavily in AI research and applications, including its Apollo autonomous driving platform and DuerOS voice assistant platform.
Baidu launched its own AI chat-style service called Ernie in March 2023 — the first Chinese company to release a direct rival to ChatGPT.
Palantir is a data analytics company with platforms such as Palantir Gotham and Palantir Foundry that offer AI-driven solutions. As AI continues to grow and become a more integral part of various industries, Palantir’s stock could increase through the rising demand for such platforms.
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No, as of February 2024, OpenAI is a private company.
OpenAI is a private company and, therefore, has no stock listed on public stock exchanges.
NVIDIA has been the front-runner AI stock, with a one-year performance of over 234% as of February 20, 2024.
No, ChatGPT is not a publicly traded company but rather an AI-based chatbot developed by OpenAI.
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