OpenAI
OpenAI develops advanced AI models like ChatGPT and DALL·E to benefit humanity.
About
OpenAI is an American artificial intelligence research and deployment company headquartered in San Francisco, California. Founded in December 2015 by Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Ilya Sutskever, Greg Brockman, and others, OpenAI's mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all of humanity. The company operates as a public benefit corporation, with a nonprofit foundation governing its for-profit subsidiary. OpenAI has developed several influential AI models, including the GPT series of large language models, the DALL·E series of text-to-image models, and the Sora series of text-to-video models. These models have significantly impacted AI research and commercial applications. The release of ChatGPT in November 2022 catalyzed widespread interest in generative AI. In February 2026, OpenAI completed a $110 billion funding round, valuing the company at $730 billion pre-money. This funding was led by Amazon, which invested $50 billion, and supported by Nvidia and SoftBank, each contributing $30 billion. The investment aims to bolster OpenAI's infrastructure and talent acquisition to meet the growing demand for AI technologies. OpenAI's flagship products include ChatGPT, a conversational AI model; GPT-5.5, an advanced language model; OpenAI Codex, a code generation model; GPT Image, a text-to-image model; Deep Research, a research-focused AI model; ChatGPT agent, an AI assistant; ChatGPT Atlas, a knowledge base; and ChatGPT Health, a healthcare-focused AI model. These products serve a diverse range of applications across various industries. As of 2026, OpenAI employs approximately 4,500 people. The company has established partnerships with major tech companies, including Microsoft, which has invested over $13 billion into OpenAI and provides Azure cloud computing resources. OpenAI's market position is strong, with a valuation of $730 billion as of February 2026. Its main competitors include Anthropic, which surpassed OpenAI as the most valuable AI startup in May 2026 with a valuation of $965 billion. OpenAI's products are used by over a million business customers globally, spanning industries such as financial services, healthcare, and retail. Notable customers include Indeed, which utilized OpenAI APIs to enhance job applications and hires, and Lowe's, which implemented an AI-powered in-store assistant in over 1,700 locations. Despite its successes, OpenAI faces challenges, including financial pressures and competition from emerging AI companies. The company is navigating these challenges while continuing to advance AI research and deployment to benefit humanity.
◆ Why it matters
OpenAI is a leading AI research and deployment company known for developing advanced AI models like the GPT series and DALL·E. Its mission to ensure AGI benefits all of humanity has driven significant investments, including a $110 billion funding round in February 2026, valuing the company at $730 billion. OpenAI's products, such as ChatGPT and GPT-5.5, have been widely adopted across various industries, serving over a million business customers globally. The company's strategic partnerships with major tech firms, including a $13 billion investment from Microsoft, have bolstered its infrastructure and talent acquisition. Despite facing competition from emerging AI companies like Anthropic, OpenAI maintains a strong market position and continues to advance AI research and deployment to benefit humanity.
Notable for
OpenAI developed ChatGPT, a conversational AI model that catalyzed widespread interest in generative AI.
