OpenAI's bankruptcy flames linger on as Apple wiggles out of its latest $6.5 billion funding round at the eleventh hour — leaving the mantle to Microsoft and NVIDIA

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Apple won't help put out OpenAI's bankruptcy flames in its latest round of funding.

Apple logo on a building
Apple logo on a building (Image credit: Future)

What you need to know

  • OpenAI is reportedly on the brink of bankruptcy, with projections of $5 billion in losses within a year.
  • Market analysts indicate the AI firm is in dire need of another round of funding to keep its operations running.
  • Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Apple were reportedly among the investors slated to participate in the round funding, but the iPhone maker withdrew its pledge at the eleventh hour. 
Recent updates

UPDATE (October 3, 2024): Apple might have exited this funding round, but Microsoft, NVIDIA, SoftBank and others rallied to grant OpenAI a massive cash injection, pushing the firm's market cap to $157 billion. 

As you may know, OpenAI was reportedly on the brink of bankruptcy, with projections of $5 billion in losses within 12 months. Market analysts and experts indicated that another round of funding was the ChatGPT maker's only lifeline, as it was barely breaking even from its generated ChatGPT and LLM access fee revenue. 

For context, the ChatGPT maker generates up to $2 billion annually from ChatGPT and an additional $1 billion from LLM access fees, pushing its total revenue to $4.5 billion annually. However, the AI firm burns through this cash quickly since it heavily invests in its operations, including $7 billion in training its AI models and an additional $1.5 billion in staffing.

Weeks after the revelation that OpenAI was running on fumes, a new report indicated that Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Apple would participate in the firm's latest round of funding, pushing its market cap well beyond $150 billion.

And now, according to an exclusive report by The Wall Street Journal, Apple won't be participating in OpenAI's latest round of funding. The iPhone maker's decision to withdraw from discussions to participate in OpenAI's round of funding remains slim at best.

A strategic approach on Apple's front?

OpenAI logo

OpenAI logo (Image credit: Getty Images | NurPhoto)

Aside from the bankruptcy claims, OpenAI has faced several challenges over the past few months, including the board of directors' bizarre firing and rehiring of Sam Altman as CEO, claims of prioritizing shiny products over safety processes, the seemingly rushed GPT-4o launch without proper safety testing, and numerous lawsuits revolving around copyright infringement and stark betrayal of the firm's founding mission.

Apple's withdrawal from OpenAI's latest round of funding is odd but not entirely surprising. The iPhone maker prides itself on being a privacy-centric brand, and this is arguably its unique selling point in the consumer market. This is despite the poor iPhone sales trend over the past few years, especially in China, as consumers begin to embrace homegrown brands.

Apple's distancing itself from OpenAI's latest round of funding comes at a crucial time when major tech corporations are hopping onto the AI train. As you may know, Apple just recently unveiled its new AI strategy, Apple Intelligence. It could be looking to assert dominance in the AI landscape. 

Apple's decision to withdraw from the round investment could be part of its broader plan to focus on developing its own AI products and services centered on privacy and security. However, it is significantly behind its competitors like Google and Microsoft in the AI landscape. 

This is a developing story, and we'll keep you updated on new developments as they become available. The OpenAI investment round talks are expected to end sometime this week.

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Kevin Okemwa
Kevin Okemwa
Contributor

Kevin Okemwa is a seasoned tech journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya with lots of experience covering the latest trends and developments in the industry at Windows Central. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail, he has written for leading publications such as OnMSFT, MakeUseOf, and Windows Report, providing insightful analysis and breaking news on everything revolving around the Microsoft ecosystem. You'll also catch him occasionally contributing at iMore about Apple and AI. While AFK and not busy following the ever-emerging trends in tech, you can find him exploring the world or listening to music.