[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] OpenAI employees are preparing to sell company shares worth up to $6 billion (₩8.3 trillion), according to a Bloomberg report on August 16. The planned secondary share sale would involve both current and former employees, with buyers expected to include Thrive Capital, SoftBank, and Dragoneer Investment Group.
Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that OpenAI was in discussions to sell insider-held shares at a valuation of $500 billion, up from the $300 billion valuation set during its $40 billion fundraising round in March. The new sale will be conducted separately from the SoftBank-led $40 billion capital raise currently underway.
If the $500 billion valuation is confirmed, OpenAI would surpass Elon Musk’s SpaceX to become the world’s most valuable startup. The transaction is designed to provide liquidity for employees, offering them a means to cash out equity without an IPO or acquisition—a strategy seen as crucial in the ongoing global battle for AI talent.
Competition for top AI researchers has intensified, with Meta recently offering lucrative pay packages to lure talent away from OpenAI and other AI startups. By allowing employees to sell shares, OpenAI aims to bolster retention while maintaining its independence.
In March, OpenAI also awarded special bonuses—reportedly worth millions of dollars each—to more than 1,000 R&D employees, tied to the launch of GPT-5, further highlighting the company’s aggressive strategy to secure top-tier AI talent.
알파경제 Kim Jisun (stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
