Amazon is reportedly in advanced discussions to invest up to $50 billion in artificial intelligence research firm OpenAI, a move that would significantly bolster the e-commerce giant’s commitment to the rapidly evolving AI landscape. This potential investment, confirmed by sources familiar with the matter, signals a strategic pivot for Amazon, even as it continues to back OpenAI’s prominent competitor, Anthropic.
Direct negotiations have been underway between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. While the specifics of the deal are still being finalized and the total investment amount remains subject to change, a term sheet could be established in the coming weeks. Amazon has maintained a deliberate silence on the matter, declining to comment.
This development comes on the heels of a substantial, multi-year investment totaling billions of dollars from Amazon into Anthropic, a company founded by former OpenAI executives and researchers. Anthropic, known for its Claude AI models, recently closed a funding round that valued the company at $350 billion. Amazon has been both Anthropic’s primary cloud provider since 2023 and its primary training partner since 2024, underscoring the company’s deepening ties within the AI ecosystem.
OpenAI is concurrently exploring other investment avenues, with projections suggesting the total funding round could reach approximately $100 billion. Sam Altman was recently engaged in investment talks with sovereign wealth funds in the United Arab Emirates. The planned funding round is expected to be structured in phases, commencing with strategic investors such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Nvidia, followed by other significant contributors like SoftBank, which is reportedly in talks to invest up to $30 billion.
Founded in 2015 as a nonprofit research lab, OpenAI surged into public consciousness in 2022 with the launch of its generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT. The company has since transitioned into a major commercial force, achieving a valuation of $500 billion in October following a secondary share sale. Previous reports indicated that discussions between Amazon and OpenAI regarding a potential investment, which could exceed $10 billion, have been ongoing since late last year. A key component of the prospective agreement may include provisions for OpenAI to utilize Amazon’s specialized AI chips.
Amazon’s aggressive push into AI is supported by significant capital allocation and cost-cutting measures across its operations. The company recently announced the elimination of approximately 16,000 corporate positions, following a previous round of layoffs in October. Concurrently, Amazon is investing heavily in its AI infrastructure, exemplified by the opening of an $11 billion data center campus in Indiana last October, dubbed Project Rainier, which is dedicated to supporting Anthropic’s operations. For 2026, Amazon has projected capital expenditures to reach $125 billion, representing the highest spending forecast among major technology companies. This strategic allocation of resources underscores Amazon’s long-term vision to lead in the AI-driven future.
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