Sam Altman, Chief Executive Officer of OpenAI, is holding talks with major Middle East investors as the artificial intelligence firm lines up a new funding round that could raise around $50 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.
Altman has recently visited the region to meet with state-backed sovereign wealth funds, including investors based in Abu Dhabi, according to Bloomberg. The discussions are still at an early stage and no final terms have been agreed.
The funding round would value OpenAI at between $750 billion and $830 billion, a significant jump from its most recent valuation of $500 billion in late 2025, when the company completed an employee share sale.
The talks reflect OpenAI’s growing engagement with Middle Eastern capital as it seeks long-term funding to support the enormous costs of scaling advanced AI models. It was confirmed this week that Altman is currently in the United Arab Emirates as part of the investment discussions, with the round expected to close in the first quarter of the year.
While the targeted raise is approximately $50 billion, people familiar with the talks cautioned that figures could still change and that formal term sheets have not yet been signed.
Last year, OpenAI closed a $40 billion funding round led by SoftBank, the largest private technology financing on record. That round included participation from core investor Microsoft, along with Coatue, Altimeter and Thrive Capital. In October, the company also finalized a $6.6 billion share sale, pushing its valuation to $500 billion.
OpenAI has already raised billions to finance the steep costs associated with specialized AI chips, data centres, and elite engineering talent. The company has committed to spending more than $1.4 trillion on AI infrastructure over the coming years, including plans for a $100 billion UAE-based data centre under the Stargate initiative.
If completed, the latest funding round would mark another major leap in OpenAI’s valuation and capital base, reinforcing its position at the centre of the global AI boom.
The move could also help revive investor confidence in the AI trade, which has been volatile in recent months amid concerns over rising costs, competitive pressure, and the pace at which artificial intelligence can continue to deliver sustained commercial returns.
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