OpenAI expects to spend $278 billion on computing and infrastructure by 2030

The prominent artificial intelligence company OpenAI expects to exhaust $278 billion in cash liquidity between 2026 and 2030, amid increased spending on computing capabilities and infrastructure, according to a company presentation cited by the Financial Times.

These projections highlight the company's financing needs as it seeks to attract new investments. The Financial Times reported last week that the developer of the ChatGPT chatbot has held discussions with investors who may value the company at approximately $1.2 trillion ahead of a potential stock market listing. OpenAI had filed a confidential application for an initial public offering in June, but CEO Sam Altman said last Saturday that the company will not list its shares for public trading in 2026 due to concerns related to AI safety.

Reuters, citing the Financial Times report published on Friday, stated that the company anticipates a free cash flow deficit of $278 billion over the five-year period from 2026 to 2030, as it invests heavily to secure the computing capabilities required to train and operate the AI models it is developing. OpenAI expects its revenue to increase tenfold during the same period, rising from $36 billion this year to $350 billion by 2030. The company also projects cumulative revenues of $840 billion by the end of the decade.

In addition, OpenAI expects to spend approximately $856 billion on computing capabilities and infrastructure by the end of 2030, which will represent its largest expense item.

The company raised $122 billion in March at a valuation of $852 billion, but it is on track to exhaust that liquidity by 2028.