OpenAI staff plan $6B stock sale to SoftBank, others: Report

OpenAI employees and former staff are preparing to sell approximately $6 billion worth of shares in a secondary transaction to investors including Japan’s SoftBank Group, Thrive Capital, and Dragoneer Investment Group, as per reports.

The deal, if finalised, would significantly boost OpenAI’s valuation and provide liquidity to employees amid growing competition in the artificial intelligence sector.

Employee share sale could lift valuation

According to a Reuters report citing sources familiar with the matter, the secondary share sale is still at an early stage.

The final size of the transaction may vary depending on market conditions and investor participation.

If completed at the current terms, the deal would value OpenAI at around $500 billion, a sharp rise from its earlier valuation of approximately $300 billion.

Secondary share sales allow existing employees and early stakeholders to monetise their equity without the company raising fresh capital.

Such transactions are increasingly being used by technology firms as a talent retention strategy, particularly in the AI industry, where competition for skilled professionals remains intense.

OpenAI’s rapid growth in users and revenue

OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, has seen rapid expansion in both user base and revenues during 2025. The company’s weekly active users reportedly grew from about 400 million at the start of the year to nearly 700 million by mid-2025.

Revenue has more than doubled in the same period, reflecting growing demand for large language models (LLMs) and generative AI applications across businesses and consumers.

Microsoft remains OpenAI’s largest outside investor, having committed billions of dollars in funding and integrating the company’s models into its products.

SoftBank’s expanding AI investments

SoftBank Group, which is in discussions to participate in the transaction, has been steadily increasing its investments in artificial intelligence and related infrastructure.

The Japanese conglomerate has previously backed semiconductor firms, robotics companies, and AI startups globally. Its potential participation in OpenAI’s stock sale signals continued interest in securing stakes in leading AI firms.

Thrive Capital and Dragoneer, both active technology investors, are also expected to participate in the deal. Neither OpenAI nor the investors have issued public statements regarding the ongoing discussions.