OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT and backed by Microsoft, is in advanced talks to raise around $40 billion in funding from investors in Saudi Arabia, India, and the UAE, according to a report by The Information. This would be one of the largest tech fundraising rounds in recent years and is aimed at helping OpenAI develop more powerful AI models and build a large-scale infrastructure project known as “Stargate.” The project is being led by the Japanese tech giant SoftBank.
Among the potential investors are Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), India’s Reliance Industries, and UAE-based MGX, which already has a stake in OpenAI. Each of these investors could contribute hundreds of millions of dollars. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been actively engaging with leaders in these regions. Earlier this year, he met with India’s IT Minister to discuss building a low-cost AI ecosystem and also traveled to the UAE to meet with MGX.
OpenAI is also reportedly in discussions with American firms like Coatue Management and Founders Fund, both of which may invest at least $100 million each. There are even plans to raise an additional $17 billion by 2027 as OpenAI continues to scale its technology and research.
The Stargate project, developed in partnership with Microsoft, aims to build advanced infrastructure such as data centers to support future AI systems. With growing global demand for powerful AI tools, OpenAI sees this as a critical step forward.
This wave of investment, especially from Middle Eastern and South Asian countries, highlights how these regions are positioning themselves as major players in the future of artificial intelligence.
