Recently, OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, mentioned that the company’s annual revenue is “well more” than $13 billion. He also seemed a bit defensive when asked about how OpenAI would cover its substantial spending commitments.
Altman’s remarks occurred during a joint interview on the Bg2 podcast with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, focusing on the collaboration between their respective companies. Host Brad Gerstner (also the founder and CEO of Altimeter Capital) brought up reports indicating that OpenAI is currently generating approximately $13 billion in revenue. While significant, this amount is overshadowed by the company’s computing infrastructure spending commitments, which exceed $1 trillion over the next decade.
“First off, our revenue is significantly higher than that,” Altman stated. “Secondly, Brad, if you’re looking to sell your shares, I can find you a buyer. Enough said. I believe there are many who would be eager to purchase OpenAI shares.”
“Including myself,” Gerstner chimed in.
Altman further added that certain critics, who express “breathless concern” about OpenAI’s computing infrastructure, would actually be “thrilled to buy our shares.”
He even stated that while he doesn’t often desire OpenAI to be a public company, “One of the few times it’s appealing is when these people write ridiculous posts saying ‘OpenAI is about to go out of business.’ I’d love for them to short the stock and see them get burned on it.”
Altman conceded that OpenAI “might screw it up” in certain ways — such as failing to secure adequate computing resources — but emphasized that “revenue is growing steeply.”
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“We’re making a forward-looking bet that growth will continue, and that not only will ChatGPT continue to grow, but we’ll also be able to establish ourselves as a major AI cloud provider, that our consumer device business will become significant, and that AI capable of automating scientific processes will generate enormous value,” he elaborated.
Nadella, who chuckled throughout much of Altman’s response, also asserted that OpenAI has “exceeded” every business plan it has presented to Microsoft as an investor.
Later in the interview, Gerstner revisited the topic of OpenAI’s revenues and IPO plans, speculating about the company reaching $100 billion in revenue in 2028 or 2029.
“How about ’27?” Altman responded.
Simultaneously, he refuted reports suggesting that OpenAI intends to go public the following year.
“No, no, no, we don’t have anything that specific,” Altman clarified. “I’m a realist, so I expect it will happen eventually, but I’m unsure why people are writing these reports. We don’t have a set date, a board decision, or anything like that. I just assume that’s the direction things will ultimately take.”
