Broadcom Soars on $10B AI Chip Deal, Likely With OpenAI

Broadcom shares surged 15% Friday after unveiling a $10 billion AI chip order from a new, unnamed customer—an announcement that cements its role as a key custom chip supplier in the race to expand generative AI infrastructure. The blockbuster order immediately sparked speculation that the buyer is OpenAI, with analysts at J.P. Morgan, Bernstein, and Morgan Stanley pointing to the timing and scale of the deal.

If confirmed, the partnership would mark OpenAI’s biggest move yet toward developing its own in-house processors, reducing reliance on Nvidia and AMD, whose stock prices dipped 2% and 5% respectively after Broadcom’s news. Reuters previously reported that OpenAI had been working with Broadcom on a custom chip project.

The deal highlights Big Tech’s broader trend of diversifying away from Nvidia’s costly, supply-constrained GPUs. Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Meta are already designing their own silicon. Broadcom, which already supplies custom AI chips to Google and Meta, now appears positioned to capture even more of the rapidly expanding market.

The rally added more than $200 billion to Broadcom’s valuation, boosting its market cap above $1.44 trillion. Analysts now forecast Broadcom’s AI revenue could surpass $40 billion in fiscal 2026, far above last quarter’s $30 billion projection.

Adding to investor optimism, longtime CEO Hock Tan confirmed he would remain in charge for at least another five years. Under his leadership, Broadcom has transformed into a central player in the global AI supply chain.