OpenAI operates with a dual structure comprising OpenAI Nonprofit and its for-profit arm. As of March 2025, the nonprofit oversees strategic direction through a 10-member board, which includes CEO Sam Altman and nine independent directors who cannot have financial stakes in OpenAI. This ensures research priorities remain paramount. Major shareholders include prominent figures like Altman, Greg Brockman, and Reid Hoffman, who participated in initial funding rounds, though their current financial ties remain undisclosed. Significant investments from Microsoft, which includes a $1 billion initial investment plus a $10 billion commitment in 2023, and early backers like Amazon Web Services and Infosys highlight OpenAI’s strong financial backing. In 2023, venture capital firms combined to inject $300 million into OpenAI, followed by another $6.6 billion from various investors in October 2024, elevating its valuation from $27 billion to $157 billion. This financial strategy allows for robust AI development while adhering to ethical research principles.
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