OpenAI announced Monday that it had filed its IPO application. A choice which, according to The Washington Post, “testing the continued appetite of markets for the artificial intelligence boom [IA]†. This IPO is “one of the most anticipated in recent history†, promising the “gros lot†to its first investors, underlines the site of CNN.
The research laboratory has “launched the AI boom with the release of ChatGPT, in 2022†, reminds The Wall Street Journal. He did not indicate an official date for this IPO – probably this fall according to observers – nor set a specific price. OpenAI has submitted a confidential S-1 document. As explained Fox Business, this document allows him to prepare the operation with the SEC, the policeman of the Stock Exchange, without having to immediately reveal financial details to the general public.
But timing is a factor. A week ago, it’s Anthropic, “one of his fiercest rivals†, REMARK The New York Times, which had communicated about its next IPO. However, specifies the Wall Street Journal, “bankers told both companies that the start-up that goes public first will be able to define this new industry and benefit from access to large reserves of cash†.
Axios warns, however, that if “enthusiasm around AI is high, investor dollars are limited. Competition for capital is getting tighter as more companies enter the markets.†For the site, “the race for AI is outpacing the advancement of models. It’s also a race for Wall Street.â€
Doubts around OpenAI
And no matter who OpenAI – valued at 852 billion dollars (739 billion euros) – or Anthropic – 965 billion (837 billion euros) – launches first, it will only be the second “méga-introduction en bourse”. of the year, states NBC News. SpaceX, Elon Musk’s firm which builds rockets but also counts xAI in its portfolio, should make its entry with fanfare on Wall Street this Friday.
None of the three companies is profitable yet, and they must invest huge sums in building data centers to train their AIs, observes the New York Times. TechCrunch reports for example that OpenAI raised 122 billion dollars (106 billion euros) last March. But the research laboratory plans to invest the equivalent in 2028 alone to develop its computing power. “OpenAI is asking investors to believe in a company that, based on its own projections, will not make more money than it spends for at least the next four years†, summarizes the site specializing in technology.
The Wall Street Journal cites the example of Amazon, another company that has long lost money investing in its infrastructure. A choice that pays off over time. But some doubts accompany OpenAI’s ambitions, in particular because of competition with Anthropic – whose Claude model is appreciated by companies – SpaceX or Google. CNN underlines that the group will also have to “demonstrate that it can bring in the corresponding money†to its gigantic valuation. He is also facing legal problems. The lawsuit filed by Elon Musk was on his side, but the state of Florida accuses him of harming children by giving them access to potentially dangerous information.
