OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, has an ambitious plan to raise a staggering seven trillion dollars in funding to address the global chip shortage and advance the semiconductor industry. The Wall Street Journal reports that Altman is actively seeking collaborations with potential investors, including the government of the United Arab Emirates.
Altman recently met Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan from the UAE to discuss OpenAI’s plans. The key objective is to foster stronger collaboration between OpenAI, chip manufacturers, and investors who can provide funding for graphics processor factories. These factories would be operated by established chip manufacturers.
The motivation behind this initiative is OpenAI’s pressing need for graphic processors for training artificial intelligence. Altman has repeatedly expressed frustration over the shortage and high cost of these processors, which are crucial for OpenAI’s growth. Nvidia, a prominent player in the field of graphics processors, describes them as gold for advancing artificial intelligence through generative models.
Altman predicts that the chip shortage will ease by 2024 as more companies enter the market. Despite being founded only in 2015, OpenAI has managed to achieve impressive financial success, generating over two billion dollars in revenue last year.
In this endeavor, Altman aims to solve the critical problem of the global chip shortage and further propel the semiconductor industry. By securing adequate funding, OpenAI could contribute to the development and availability of graphics processors essential for training AI models. This collaborative effort between OpenAI, chip manufacturers, and investors has the potential to revolutionize the industry and drive advancements in artificial intelligence.
Overall, Altman’s bold plan seeks to address the current challenges faced by OpenAI due to the shortage of graphic processors. With the goal of raising an enormous amount of funding, OpenAI aims to overcome this obstacle and play a significant role in advancing the semiconductor industry.