OpenAI’s CEO Woos UAE to Fund Massive Chip Production Overhaul

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman seeks trillions from investors, including the UAE, to boost chip production and AI capacity, amidst discussions with global stakeholders. (Photo : Eric Risberg/AP)

The Wall Street Journal has reported that Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is on a quest to secure trillions of dollars from investors, including the government of the United Arab Emirates, to bolster the global capacity for advanced chip production and fuel artificial intelligence.

Altman’s vision, described as a “wildly ambitious tech initiative,” may necessitate raising up to $7 trillion, sources familiar with the matter told the WSJ.

In his proposal to investors, Altman envisions the construction of numerous chip foundries to be operated by established chip manufacturers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), according to the Journal.

The initiative aims to tackle challenges hindering OpenAI’s expansion, such as the shortage of chips essential for powering AI models like ChatGPT, the WSJ noted, highlighting the unprecedented scale of the funds being pursued.

Reports indicate that Altman has engaged in discussions with senior officials from the UAE, executives from TSMC, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and SoftBank’s CEO Masayoshi Son.

Despite various countries announcing plans to bolster domestic semiconductor production, the global supply remains heavily concentrated among a few major players, including TSMC and NVIDIA based in California.

An OpenAI spokesperson informed the WSJ that the organization has been in “productive discussions about increasing global infrastructure and supply chains” and plans to disclose further details in due course.

OpenAI, supported by Microsoft, did not immediately respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.

At the helm of OpenAI, Altman has emerged as a prominent figure in the burgeoning AI sector. In a recent incident, the 38-year-old entrepreneur was initially ousted from the startup he co-founded in November, only to be reinstated following protests by employees and investors.