Recent reports from The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg suggest that both Apple and Nvidia are considering investments in the renowned AI company, OpenAI. These insights, based on anonymous sources, highlight the growing interest from these tech powerhouses.
Nvidia has declined to comment on the speculation, and Apple has not yet responded to requests for comment.
This potential investment follows OpenAI’s recent partnership with Apple, announced in June, making it the first official collaborator for Apple Intelligence. Nvidia, meanwhile, provides essential chips and infrastructure for AI technologies like those developed by OpenAI.
The new funding round is led by Thrive Capital and is expected to attract significant participation, including from Microsoft, which has already invested $13 billion in OpenAI since 2019.
If Apple proceeds with an investment, it will gain continued access to OpenAI’s advanced AI technology. However, this could potentially impact its existing relationships with other AI firms. This move would also mark a shift from Apple’s typical investment strategy, which usually focuses on manufacturing companies to secure essential components for its devices.
Reports from August 28 indicate that OpenAI aims to raise several billion dollars in this funding round. The company’s valuation was last pegged at $86 billion following a share sale by employees in late 2023.
The partnership with Apple Intelligence, revealed on June 10, will bring new AI capabilities to iPhones, Macs, and iPads. OpenAI’s GPT-4 will be integrated into Apple’s iOS, macOS, and iPadOS later this year, enhancing Siri’s functionality with user approval.
While OpenAI is the inaugural partner for Apple Intelligence, Apple has stated it will also collaborate with other AI models.
In the midst of Silicon Valley’s competitive AI landscape—where Google is embedding AI into its search engine, Microsoft is incorporating it into Office, and Meta is deploying it across social media platforms—Apple’s potential investment represents a notable development.