In a bid to reshape the global AI chip industry, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is reportedly in talks with investors to raise between $5 and $7 trillion.
According The Wall Street JournaltThe ambitious fundraising effort, if successful, would exceed the combined value of AMD, Nvidia and Intel, and aims to address the current shortage of graphics processing units (GPUs) vital to operating large language models such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini. .
The proposed fundraising sum is indicative of the significant capital required to establish new semiconductor manufacturing capabilities. Altman is said to be proposing a partnership between OpenAI, investors, chipmakers and energy providers to crowdfund the construction of chip foundries, which will be operated by existing chipmakers. OpenAI is expected to be a major customer of these new factories.
Satisfy the demand
Altman's ambitious goals exceed the current global sales of the entire semiconductor industry, which amount to $527 billion.
Potential investors include sovereign wealth funds, government entities, notably the United Arab Emirates (UAE), SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, and representatives of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world's largest independent semiconductor foundry. .
The move aims to significantly improve global semiconductor manufacturing capacity, thereby meeting the growing demand for GPUs and other AI-specific chips.
However, the involvement of the United Arab Emirates, led by Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed al Nahyan, a key security official and chairman of numerous Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth vehicles, could raise geopolitical concerns, particularly regarding strategic priorities. of the US government in semiconductor production and AI. development.
The United States has been cautious about foreign control over the supply of microchips because of their importance to the digital economy and national security. Reflecting this, the Biden administration has been making efforts to boost domestic chip manufacturing through subsidies and regulatory scrutiny of foreign investments in critical technologies.
To put the proposed estimate of between five and seven trillion dollars into context, Ars Technique notes that the White House recently announced a $5 billion investment in research and development to advance American-made semiconductor technologies. TSMC has already invested $40 billion in a US chip plant in Arizona, representing one of the largest foreign investments in US history. For now, it remains uncertain whether Altman has secured any commitment toward his fundraising goal.
