May 13 – OpenAI and Microsoft (MSFT.O) are engaged in high-stakes negotiations to revise the terms of their multibillion-dollar partnership in a move that would pave the way for the artificial intelligence firm behind ChatGPT to pursue a future initial public offering (IPO), the Financial Times reported on Sunday.
The discussions are aimed at ensuring that while OpenAI gains more structural flexibility to prepare for a potential public listing, Microsoft would maintain privileged access to the startup’s most advanced AI models, according to the report, which cited people familiar with the matter.
Microsoft, which has invested billions into OpenAI since 2019, is its largest backer and has integrated the company’s generative AI technology across its product suite, including Azure, Office, and Windows.
The talks come amid growing strategic tensions in the booming AI sector, where questions around control, commercialization, and access to cutting-edge research have taken center stage.
OpenAI declined to comment, while Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. The structure of OpenAI’s partnership with Microsoft, which includes both capped profit and nonprofit components, has drawn scrutiny from competitors and researchers, and any revisions could have implications for the wider AI industry.
