OpenAI Overtakes SpaceX to Become the World’s Most Valuable Private Company

An astonishing $500 billion: that's the new valuation of OpenAI, which has officially surpassed SpaceX. The deal that made it all happen was when former employees sold $6.6 billion worth of shares to some big-name investors, like Thrive Capital, SoftBank, and T. Rowe Price. Just months ago, OpenAI was valued at $300 billion—its rapid ascent now puts it on par with the personal fortune of Elon Musk.

This surge reflects investor excitement around OpenAI’s ambitious Stargate project, a four-year plan to build massive data centers across the United States. In partnership with Oracle and SoftBank, OpenAI aims to create up to 7 gigawatts of computing capacity. The grand total of money put in could be more than $500 billion, with $400 billion predicted in the following three years.

Building the Future of Intelligence

The full potential of artificial intelligence must be unlocked, says CEO Sam Altman, and expansion is the way to do it. “AI can only thrive if we build the computational foundation it requires,” he noted. OpenAI’s goal is clear: create the infrastructure to power the next generation of intelligence.

To meet demand, the company recently struck deals with Nvidia, Samsung, and SK Hynix for chip supplies. Nvidia alone is investing $100 billion in OpenAI.

Musk, Money, and a Complicated Past

Ironically, Musk helped found OpenAI in 2015 but later left after clashing with Altman. He has since filed a lawsuit accusing OpenAI of abandoning its nonprofit mission for profit. Despite the drama, Musk remains the world’s richest person—his wealth briefly hit $500 billion, fueled mainly by Tesla’s $1.4 trillion market cap.

For now, OpenAI’s meteoric rise signals one thing: the future of artificial intelligence is not just powerful—it’s incredibly valuable.