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OpenAI’s Valuation Soars to $500 Billion After Major Share Sale Involving SoftBank

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OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has achieved a staggering $500 billion valuation after employees and former staff sold $6.6 billion worth of shares to major global investors, according to a source cited by Reuters. This marks a sharp rise from its previous valuation of $300 billion, signaling the company’s explosive growth in both user base and revenue.

The deal involved sales to a powerful consortium of investors, including Thrive Capital, SoftBank, Dragoneer Investment Group, Abu Dhabi’s MGX, and T. Rowe Price. The company reportedly authorized the sale of more than $10 billion in stock on the secondary market, giving early employees and stakeholders the chance to cash out part of their holdings while maintaining OpenAI’s momentum in private financing rounds.

SoftBank, already a participant in OpenAI’s $40 billion primary funding round, has further strengthened its position with this deal. None of the involved firms immediately commented on the transaction.

Financially, OpenAI continues to outperform expectations. The company brought in around $4.3 billion in revenue during the first half of 2025, which is roughly 16% higher than its total revenue for the entirety of 2024, according to The Information.

The timing of this sale coincides with intensifying competition among global tech giants for AI talent and infrastructure dominance. Meta, for instance, is heavily investing in AI companies like Scale AI, and recently hired its 28-year-old CEO, Alexandr Wang, to spearhead its new superintelligence division—a move highlighting the escalating arms race in artificial intelligence innovation and expertise.

As OpenAI’s valuation hits half a trillion dollars, the company stands at the center of this rapidly transforming landscape—its technology, partnerships, and pace of growth redefining the frontier of modern computing.

General Dynamics Wins $1.25 Billion IT Contract to Support U.S. Army in Europe and Africa

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General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), the tech services arm of defense giant General Dynamics, announced it has been awarded a $1.25 billion contract to provide long-term IT and communications support for the U.S. Army’s operations in Europe and Africa.

The contract — part of the Enterprise Mission Information Technology Services 2 (EMITS 2) task order — was awarded in September and includes a five-month transition period followed by seven optional years of service.

Under the EMITS 2 program, GDIT will deliver a range of capabilities, including:

  • Enterprise IT and communications infrastructure,

  • Mission command support services,

  • Assistance for Army headquarters, subordinate commands, NATO units, and allied partners operating across both continents.

The new contract underscores GDIT’s expanding role as a core technology partner for U.S. defense operations abroad. It comes just one week after the company announced a separate $1.5 billion modernization contract with U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), focused on improving efficiency and cutting costs through AI-driven integration and enterprise system upgrades.

GDIT President Amy Gilliland said earlier this year that the firm’s mission is to “deliver secure, resilient technology solutions that strengthen national defense operations globally.”

With the U.S. military increasingly emphasizing digital transformation, data security, and battlefield connectivity, GDIT’s dual contracts position the company as a central player in shaping how the Department of Defense deploys advanced IT and AI capabilities across global theaters.

Samsung and SK Hynix Surge After OpenAI Chip Partnership Boosts AI Optimism

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Shares of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix soared on Thursday after OpenAI announced a major partnership with the two South Korean chipmakers to support its massive Stargate artificial intelligence data centre project in the United States.

Samsung Electronics jumped 4.7%, reaching its highest level in more than four years, while SK Hynix surged 12% to an all-time high, adding a combined $37 billion in market capitalization.
The rally also lifted South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index by more than 3%, marking a new record.

MARKET REACTION AND ANALYST INSIGHT

Analysts said the partnership could dispel earlier market fears about potential declines in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chip prices amid rising competition.

“Such worries will be easily resolved by this strategic partnership,” wrote Jeff Kim, analyst at KB Securities, predicting a sharp rise in chip demand driven by the Stargate project.
Kim added that, since Stargate is a key U.S. government-backed initiative led by President Donald Trump, the collaboration could also positively influence trade negotiations between Washington and Seoul.

DETAILS OF THE PARTNERSHIP

The deal — part of the $500 billion Stargate project aimed at building next-generation AI infrastructure — will see OpenAI, Samsung, and SK Hynix jointly work on semiconductor procurement and the construction of two data centres in South Korea, referred to as a “Korean-style Stargate.”
Each data centre will start with a 20-megawatt capacity, and Seoul hopes the project will help position South Korea as an Asian AI hub, given that the country already ranks second globally in the number of paying ChatGPT subscribers after the United States.

WIDER IMPACT ON SAMSUNG AFFILIATES

Other Samsung affiliates also gained sharply on the news:

  • Samsung SDI rose on expectations of increased demand for advanced power systems.

  • Samsung C&T and Samsung SDS advanced after confirming new roles in AI data centre construction and infrastructure partnerships with OpenAI.

STRONGER EXPORT OUTLOOK

The AI-driven semiconductor boom has been a key factor in South Korea’s economic rebound, with exports rising in September at their fastest pace in 14 months, defying concerns about the impact of U.S. tariffs.
Seoul hopes to finalize a trade agreement with the United States by late October, following a preliminary deal reached in July that would lower tariffs on South Korean imports in exchange for a $350 billion U.S. investment package.

However, officials have said talks have stalled over concerns about foreign exchange risks and the structure of the investment commitments.