OpenAI bets on $600B compute spend by 2030 amid IPO push
OpenAI bets on $600B compute spend by 2030 amid IPO push
OpenAI eyes massive compute investments through 2030 as it positions for an IPO, backed by Nvidia and aiming for multi-billion revenue growth.
OpenAI is targeting roughly $600 billion in total compute spend through 2030, a goal that underpins its groundwork for an IPO that could value the company at as much as $1 trillion. The move comes as the company attracts heavyweight capital, including a near $30 billion investment from Nvidia and a fundraising round that could exceed $100 billion, potentially valuing OpenAI at about $830 billion. OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, projects revenue of more than $280 billion by 2030, evenly split between consumer and enterprise units, according to early reports. In 2025, OpenAI’s revenue totaled $13 billion, beating its $10 billion projection, while it spent $8 billion that year, under a $9 billion target.
Sam Altman had said last year that OpenAI is committed to spending $1.4 trillion to develop 30 gigawatts of computing resources—enough to power roughly 25 million U.S. homes. Separately, the Information reported that the expenses associated with running its AI models, called inference, increased fourfold in 2025, resulting in a fall in its adjusted gross margin to 33% from 40% in 2024.
Beyond the data centers, OpenAI is developing AI devices including a smart speaker, with more than 200 people working on a family of devices that could also include smart glasses and a smart lamp. The overall push highlights a company balancing ambitious infrastructure spending with a push into hardware and a broader AI ecosystem, as investors watch how these bets translate into profitability and long-term leadership in a highly competitive field.
