Apple and Microsoft are reportedly considering a significant investment in OpenAI, the company that took the world by storm with its advanced generative AI platforms, including ChatGPT. According to reports from The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, this deal could value OpenAI at over $100 billion.

Investment firm Thrive Capital is currently leading the funding round and is expected to contribute around $1 billion. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praised Thrive’s founder, Joshua Kushner, saying, “I have been fortunate to work with many great investors; there is no one I’d recommend more highly than Josh,” in a post on Twitter/X.

Microsoft, a major backer of OpenAI with an investment of $13 billion primarily in cloud credits, is also in talks to join this funding round. Microsoft already holds a 49% stake in the company.

Earlier this year, Apple announced plans to integrate OpenAI’s ChatGPT into its iOS, iPadOS, and macOS platforms later this year, offering the service for free. Altman expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “We’re excited to partner with Apple to bring ChatGPT to their users in a new way. Apple shares our commitment to safety and innovation, and this partnership aligns with OpenAI’s mission to make advanced AI accessible to everyone. Together with Apple, we’re making it easier for people to benefit from what AI can offer.”

The news of this potential investment comes at a time when OpenAI is facing significant financial pressures. Reports indicate that the company is set to spend around $7 billion on training and inference costs this year, leading to projected losses of approximately $5 billion. The training process alone could cost around $3 billion, with inference costs potentially reaching $4 billion, partly due to the deal with Apple.