SoftBank to Acquire $1.5 Billion in OpenAI Shares Through Employee Tender Offer

The deal, led by CEO Masayoshi Son, aims to boost SoftBank's stake in OpenAI as the AI startup reaches a $157 billion valuation.

SoftBank is purchasing $1.5 billion in OpenAI shares from employees through a tender offer, allowing current and former staff to cash out stock held for at least two years.
The deal follows SoftBank's $500 million investment in OpenAI's October funding round, which valued the company at $157 billion.
Masayoshi Son, SoftBank's CEO, has emphasized his ambition to position the company as a leader in artificial intelligence and has expressed admiration for OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
The tender offer aligns with OpenAI's most recent share valuation of $210 per unit and is set to close by December 24, 2024.
OpenAI continues to attract major investments, including $13 billion from Microsoft, while projecting significant 2024 losses of $5 billion against $3.7 billion in revenue.