Amazon is in early-stage discussions to invest as much as $50 billion (£40 billion) in OpenAI, in what could become one of the largest private technology investments in history. Sources familiar with the talks say the discussions are preliminary, and the final terms and size of any deal have not yet been agreed.
If the investment reaches the upper limit, Amazon would become the largest single backer in OpenAI’s current fundraising round, as the AI company seeks to raise up to $100 billion, valuing it at roughly $830 billion. The funding drive reflects intense interest in frontier AI firms, which are investing heavily in data centres, chips, and computing infrastructure.
The negotiations are being led by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and OpenAI chief Sam Altman, underscoring how central AI has become to Amazon’s long-term strategy, particularly through its cloud computing division. Amazon already has a strong presence in the AI sector, having invested around $8 billion in Anthropic, a competitor whose AI services have gained traction with enterprise customers. Anthropic was recently valued at $183 billion and anticipates its annualised revenue could approach $26 billion in 2026.
OpenAI continues to expand its computing partnerships. Earlier this month, the company signed a $10 billion deal with Cerebras, a rival to Nvidia, whose chips currently power much of OpenAI’s infrastructure.
Other major technology groups are also seeking stakes in OpenAI. Japan’s SoftBank Group is reportedly in talks to invest up to $30 billion, while Nvidia is considering a similar amount. Microsoft, a long-standing OpenAI partner, is expected to contribute less than $10 billion. OpenAI is also preparing for a potential initial public offering that could value the company near $1 trillion.
The potential Amazon investment comes as global tech companies and investors race to secure influence over AI’s future, betting that closer ties with OpenAI will provide a competitive advantage. Analysts note that such massive funding rounds reflect both the strategic importance of AI and the high costs of building and maintaining the infrastructure needed to support increasingly powerful AI systems.
Amazon and OpenAI have not commented on the reports. If finalised, a $50 billion commitment from Amazon would mark a significant escalation in the competition among the world’s largest technology companies to shape the future of artificial intelligence and the infrastructure that underpins it.
