CNBC reported on the purchase of OpenAI shares by SoftBank totaling approximately $1.5 billion. This acquisition was made through an offer to OpenAI employees to convert their allocated company shares into cash. The employees have until December 24th to make their decisions.
Currently, SoftBank has invested $500 million in OpenAI through the latest funding round in October. Although this deal does not involve providing cash to OpenAI, it signifies the management of employee benefits with shares that are due to be sold. It also indicates SoftBank’s interest in holding more shares in OpenAI beyond their current holdings, aligning with the company’s investment strategy in AI companies such as Glean, Perplexity, and Poolside.
Both OpenAI and SoftBank declined to comment on the aforementioned reports.
TLDR: SoftBank acquires additional OpenAI shares worth $1.5 billion through an offer to employees to convert their company shares into cash, reflecting a strategic interest in investing in AI companies.
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