OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently addressed queries about the company’s financial performance, firmly stating that OpenAI’s annual revenue exceeds $13 billion. During a joint interview with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on the Bg2 podcast, Altman became somewhat defensive when discussing how the company plans to manage its considerable financial commitments, which surpass $1 trillion for computing infrastructure over the next decade.
Host Brad Gerstner, founder and CEO of Altimeter Capital, highlighted reports of OpenAI’s $13 billion revenue, which, while substantial, pales in comparison to its planned expenditures. In response, Altman remarked, “First of all, we’re doing well more revenue than that. Second of all, Brad, if you want to sell your shares, I’ll find you a buyer. I just—enough. There are plenty of people who would be eager to buy OpenAI shares.”
Gerstner humorously interjected, expressing his own interest in purchasing shares. Altman indicated that there are critics who express undue concern about OpenAI’s computing capabilities yet would be thrilled to invest in the company. He mentioned that, although he doesn’t often see the appeal of OpenAI going public, it could provide an opportunity to rebut skepticism about its viability.
While acknowledging potential pitfalls, such as access to adequate computing resources, Altman emphasized that revenue is on a steep upward trajectory. “We are making a forward bet on growth, not only for ChatGPT but also to establish ourselves as a key player in AI cloud services and consumer devices,” he stated.
Nadella chimed in, noting that OpenAI has consistently outperformed business projections it has provided to Microsoft. Gerstner later speculated about OpenAI potentially achieving $100 billion in revenue by 2028 or 2029, to which Altman playfully countered with “How about ’27?”
Altman also dismissed rumors of an impending initial public offering (IPO), asserting, “No, no, no, we don’t have anything that specific. I assume it will happen eventually, but there’s no set date or board decision in place.”
