Under the leadership of Thrive Capital, shares are being sold through a tender offer—employees have the option to liquidate their stakes.

This approach differs from traditional fundraising, which seeks capital for company growth. OpenAI's valuation has surged from last year's $29 billion, following a series of robust investments, including a notable $10 billion from Microsoft in January 2023.

Following the successful launch of ChatGPT and other AI integrations, such as in Microsoft's Bing, OpenAI continues to innovate with new offerings like the video-generating tool Sora.

The company is also enhancing ChatGPT with a deepened memory feature, as CEO Sam Altman considers strategic moves like acquiring a chip manufacturer to secure essential AI hardware.

Despite a shakeup in late 2023 with Altman's temporary dismissal, OpenAI remains a significant player, drawing regulatory scrutiny over potential antitrust issues due to the substantial funding from tech giants which the EU and US authorities are examining.