Amazon is in talks to invest as much as $50 billion in OpenAI, according to a Wall Street Journal report cited by Reuters. CNBC also confirmed the discussions, describing them as potentially one of the biggest bets yet in the race to secure ties with leading artificial intelligence companies.
The talks are not final, and the eventual amount could change as negotiations continue, Reuters reported, citing a source familiar with the matter. CNBC likewise reported that the details are still evolving and that any final investment may differ from the figure being discussed.
What’s being discussed
According to Reuters, the Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon could invest up to $50 billion in OpenAI. Reuters reported that a source said the conversations are still in early stages and that final numbers have not been set.
CNBC reported that the discussions are being led by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, citing a source familiar with the talks. CNBC also reported that a term sheet could be finalized in the coming weeks, although the outlet said the details remain fluid.
A separate report points to $60 billion
In a separate report a day earlier, Reuters said Nvidia, Amazon, and Microsoft were in talks to invest up to $60 billion in OpenAI, citing a report from The Information. Reuters added that it could not immediately verify The Information’s report.
That Reuters report said The Information described Nvidia as discussing an investment of up to $30 billion, while Microsoft was said to be discussing an investment of less than $10 billion. The same report said Amazon, which would be a new investor, was in talks to invest significantly more than $10 billion, with estimates in The Information’s report suggesting it could exceed $20 billion.
OpenAI’s broader fundraising talks
The New York Times reported that OpenAI has been in talks to raise as much as $100 billion in a new funding round. The Times said that such a round could value OpenAI at $750 billion or more, citing people familiar with the discussions.
The Times described the situation as fluid and said the $100 billion figure is one of multiple possibilities being discussed. It reported that OpenAI has held talks with Nvidia, Amazon, Microsoft, and Japan’s SoftBank.
A Yahoo Finance article also described a widening circle of potential backers around OpenAI, pointing to reports of discussions involving Amazon, Microsoft, and Nvidia. That article said the effort could be part of a broader capital-raising initiative that could reach $100 billion, while emphasizing that it was unclear whether negotiations would turn into confirmed investments.
Commercial ties and existing relationships
CNBC noted that Amazon has invested billions in Anthropic, describing it as a rival of OpenAI. CNBC also reported that Amazon and OpenAI have discussed a potential investment since last year and that those talks might include an arrangement involving Amazon’s AI chips, according to CNBC’s prior reporting.
Reuters, citing The Information, reported that Amazon’s potential investment could depend on separate negotiations, including a possible expansion of OpenAI’s cloud server rental deal with Amazon. The same Reuters report also said The Information described a possible commercial agreement for OpenAI to sell products such as enterprise ChatGPT subscriptions to Amazon.
The Yahoo Finance article said a deeper partnership could go beyond cloud services and described OpenAI as preparing for a possible IPO in the fourth quarter, while noting uncertainty about whether the current investment talks would lead to finalized commitments. The same Yahoo Finance piece also described OpenAI’s costs for training and running AI models as a driver behind the company’s effort to secure more capital.
How the reports line up
Across multiple reports, Amazon is repeatedly named as a potential major investor in OpenAI, with one figure put at up to $50 billion and another report describing a broader group of tech companies discussing up to $60 billion. Those figures come from different reports described by Reuters, with the $50 billion figure tied to a Wall Street Journal report and the $60 billion figure tied to a report from The Information.
LinkedIn’s news summary of The Information’s reporting similarly described talks in which Nvidia, Amazon, and Microsoft could together invest as much as $60 billion, including figures of $30 billion for Nvidia, more than $20 billion for Amazon, and less than $10 billion for Microsoft. LinkedIn also noted Bloomberg’s view that such a large fundraising round could help address investor worries about OpenAI’s cash burn, while adding that it may not settle broader questions about how AI deals can be financially circular.
Amazon did not comment in the CNBC report, and Reuters reported that the companies involved did not immediately respond to requests for comment in connection with The Information’s report. The New York Times, meanwhile, attributed its fundraising details to people familiar with the discussions who asked not to be identified because the talks were ongoing.
