OpenAI told investors that it hit roughly $50 billion in annualized revenue at the end of September, CNBC confirmed, lower than the the $68 billion figure that was widely reported late last month. A person familiar with the matter said the $68 billion figure included gross revenue from OpenAI's partners, which helps investors make a more direct comparison with its chief rival, Anthropic.
The Financial Times was first to report the $50 billion figure.
OpenAI shared an update about its finances in an investor presentation, said the person, who asked not to be named in order to discuss the numbers. In addition to the $50 billion in annualized revenue, OpenAI touted 77% total run rate growth during its third quarter, as well as 107% run rate growth for its enterprise business during the same period, the person said.
The company is under pressure to justify its $852 billion valuation to investors as it gears up for what is widely expected to be a blockbuster IPO. OpenAI confidentially filed its prospectus with regulators in June, and executives have signaled that the company is eyeing a 2027 debut.
In the interim, OpenAI is engaging in early stage discussions with investors about a potential new funding round. The company could raise around $30 billion, as CNBC previously reported, but that figure could change. The round is being driven by investor demand and no term sheet has been finalized yet.
OpenAI closed a historic $122 billion funding round in March, and CFO Sarah Friar told CNBC last week that it is still "very well capitalized."
