OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is reportedly in early talks with G42, based in Abu Dhabi, and SoftBank Group, based in Japan. Sources familiar with the plans revealed on January 19 that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman intends to use the money generated for a chip business to construct a number of semiconductor production facilities.
In an effort to raise the money needed to open chip fabrication units, or fabs, Altman is reportedly in talks with a number of important possible investors. Leading chip manufacturers would be partnered with in this endeavour, and the global fab network would be involved.
Based in Abu Dhabi According to the article, G42 and Japan’s SoftBank Group are in preliminary talks with OpenAI; a finalised list of partners and funders is pending. OpenAI and G42 have apparently been in talks since October 2023 with the goal of raising $8 billion to $10 billion.
The talks are not entirely clear at this point. Intel, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, and Samsung Electronics were mentioned in the paper as possible OpenAI partners.
It’s not just OpenAI that wants to make investments in semiconductor processors. In order to develop and provide new generative artificial intelligence (AI) models and products, Meta intends to make large investments in specialised computer chips, according to a statement made by CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday, January 18.
According to Zuckerberg, by the end of 2024, Meta intends to have roughly 350,000 H100 graphics processing units from chip manufacturer Nvidia as part of its increased technological infrastructure.
After being abruptly and unexpectedly fired, Altman returned to OpenAI in November 2023 and promptly went back to work securing financing for the production of semiconductor chips worldwide, according to the Bloomberg article. Additionally, he spoke with Microsoft about the idea, and it has supposedly shown interest.
Apart from the CEO’s fascination with semiconductor processors, Altman thinks that an aspirational but unproven energy source may be essential to AI’s future.