Amazon is negotiating a potential investment of up to $50 billion in OpenAI, according to sources familiar with the discussions. The talks, led by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, could position the e-commerce giant as the largest contributor to OpenAI’s current fundraising efforts.
The artificial intelligence startup behind ChatGPT is seeking approximately $100 billion in new capital. If successful, this funding round would boost OpenAI’s valuation to nearly $830 billion, cementing its status as one of the world’s most valuable private companies. The negotiations remain preliminary, and final terms have not been locked in. The investment amount could still change before any deal is finalized.
Amazon’s Strategic AI Play
The potential investment represents a significant strategic shift for Amazon, which has already committed substantial resources to OpenAI’s rival Anthropic. Amazon has invested at least $8 billion in Anthropic and serves as the primary cloud and training provider for the AI company through Amazon Web Services. The tech giant also recently opened an $11 billion data center campus in Indiana designed exclusively to run Anthropic models.
Amazon’s interest in OpenAI runs alongside its existing relationship with the company. The two firms signed a seven-year, $38 billion cloud computing agreement in late 2025, marking their first major computing partnership. This deal allows OpenAI to utilize Amazon’s cloud infrastructure for its AI systems.
Broader Investor Interest
Amazon is not alone in pursuing a stake in OpenAI. SoftBank Group is reportedly considering an investment of up to $30 billion. Nvidia, which supplies the chips powering OpenAI’s models, and Microsoft, OpenAI’s longtime partner and existing backer, are also engaged in discussions about participating in the funding round. The Information previously reported that these three companies could invest up to $60 billion collectively.
The proposed funding structure may unfold in two phases. Strategic partners like Amazon, Microsoft, and Nvidia would contribute first, followed by additional investments from participants such as SoftBank and venture capital firms. Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds are also part of the conversations, with Altman recently traveling to the United Arab Emirates to engage with potential investors.
Amazon’s Massive AI Spending Plans
The potential OpenAI investment aligns with Amazon’s aggressive capital expenditure forecasts. The company has projected that its capital expenditures could reach $125 billion by 2026, marking one of the highest spending forecasts among major corporations at that time. This spending reflects Amazon’s broader commitment to expanding its artificial intelligence capabilities across its business units.
The timing of these talks follows a period of significant workforce adjustments at Amazon. The company recently announced substantial job cuts affecting thousands of employees, demonstrating the tech sector’s rapid pivot toward AI investments even as companies streamline other operations.
OpenAI’s Transformation
OpenAI began as a nonprofit research organization in 2015, founded by a group of technology leaders including Sam Altman. The company gained mainstream attention in 2022 with the public launch of ChatGPT, a generative AI chatbot that demonstrated unprecedented capabilities in natural language processing. Since then, OpenAI has evolved into one of the world’s largest commercial enterprises.
The company achieved a $500 billion valuation in October 2025 following a secondary share sale. The current fundraising push would represent one of the largest private capital raises in corporate history. Existing OpenAI backers include Thrive Capital, Khosla Ventures, and MGX, a fund linked to the United Arab Emirates.
If the Amazon deal materializes at the higher end of the reported range, it would represent one of the largest single corporate investments in a private technology company. Sources indicate that a term sheet could be finalized within the coming weeks, though the details remain fluid and subject to change.
