Apple Inc. (AAPL) is looking to further solidify its position in the rapidly expanding world of artificial intelligence (AI) by potentially investing in OpenAI, the company behind the popular ChatGPT AI chatbot.
According to a recent report from the Wall Street Journal, Apple is currently in talks to acquire a stake in OpenAI. This investment would be part of a new funding round that is expected to value OpenAI at over $100 billion, a significant milestone for the company.
This news follows a report that venture capital firm Thrive Capital is leading a new round of funding for OpenAI, committing at least $1 billion to the company. Additionally, Bloomberg reported that NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA) is also in discussions to participate in OpenAI’s latest fundraising round.
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), a longstanding backer of OpenAI, having invested $13 billion over the past five years, is also expected to contribute additional funds. However, the exact investment amounts from Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia remain undisclosed.
Apple’s rumored investment in OpenAI comes at a time when the company is gearing up for its iPhone 16 launch event on September 9th. The event is anticipated to showcase new AI features, highlighting Apple’s focus on its own AI initiative, Apple Intelligence, introduced earlier this year at WWDC 24.
This move by Apple signifies its ambition to compete with tech giants like Microsoft and Google in the AI space. OpenAI, with its impressive advancements in AI technology and the popularity of ChatGPT, presents a valuable opportunity for Apple to further enhance its AI capabilities and create a more robust ecosystem.
As the AI race heats up, Apple’s potential investment in OpenAI is a crucial step in its strategic pursuit of leadership in this transformative technology. The company’s upcoming iPhone 16 event will be a key platform to showcase its AI advancements and potentially solidify its position in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
