OpenAI is too big to fail

Despite not yet turning a profit, OpenAI is still valued at more than $500 billion. Photo: Bloomberg .

From a non-profit laboratory, OpenAI has become the center of the American economy . Although it is not profitable yet, with revenue only 2% of Amazon's, the company led by Sam Altman is valued at more than 500 billion USD and plays a key role in the global AI race.

OpenAI is becoming a force that finance and technology have found difficult to grasp. Although still a startup, the AI giant now has a profound influence on major tech corporations, the financial system, and even US economic policy. Some experts warn that with its intricate network of investments and agreements, OpenAI may have become “too big to fail,” a term once associated with banks during the 2008 crisis.

Too big to fail

OpenAI was founded in 2015 with the mission of developing AI for the benefit of humanity. But in just a few years, the company has transformed into a profit-driven model to raise private capital, signing a series of agreements with giants such as Microsoft, Nvidia and Oracle.

Microsoft now holds about 27% of the shares, and chipmaker Nvidia announced a $100 billion investment in OpenAI. As the value of these stocks has soared, the market is increasingly dependent on OpenAI's momentum.

OpenAI's influence has far-reaching implications for areas beyond AI. Photo: Bloomberg .

Observers say this connection is increasing systemic risk. Lessons from the 2008 financial crisis show that it is not just giant companies that cause chain collapses, but also companies that are deeply connected to the entire economic network. OpenAI, with its ambition to control computing infrastructure and lead the AI industry, is at the center of that network.

Altman has said he believes AGI will help humans solve big problems like cancer and climate change. It is this vision that makes OpenAI a symbol of confidence in American technology in the context of economic stagnation and a national debt exceeding 30,000 billion USD .

The US government is also considering AI a strategic priority. In the context of fierce competition with China, Washington sees OpenAI as a “national champion” in the fields of defense and economic security. According to analysts, this gives the company easy access to investment packages, computing infrastructure and special support policies.

However, OpenAI’s rapid growth has also created political and social concerns. Senator Bernie Sanders recently called for the company to be broken up, saying its influence and the ChatGPT chatbot “are like a meteorite hitting the planet.” This warning comes as OpenAI is expected to only generate about $13 billion in revenue this year, a modest figure compared to the influence the company holds.

Far-reaching influence

After a period of restructuring, OpenAI recently simplified its operating model, paving the way for the possibility of raising more private capital and even going public. President Bret Taylor described the move as a step toward the company serving the interests of all humanity. Meanwhile, investors believe OpenAI could become the first company to reach a trillion-dollar IPO, an unprecedented record for a company that has yet to make a profit.

CEO Sam Altman says OpenAI is just at the starting line. Photo: Bloomberg .

Still, some experts compare the current wave of AI investment to the dot-com bubble or even the tulip mania, arguing that behind the tech hype lie complex financial arrangements that could shake the system if expectations collapse.

Altman still believes the future belongs to AI and that OpenAI is just at the starting line. But the company’s growing reliance on tech giants makes the question of what happens if OpenAI fails no longer hypothetical.

With its current expansion and influence, OpenAI is no longer just a startup, it has become a vital link in the US economy. The growing dependence of technology corporations, investors and even governments on OpenAI is turning this company into a factor that can shape the global economic and technological future.

Source: https://znews.vn/openai-kho-sup-do-post1599503.html