Amazon Reportedly Eyes $50B OpenAI Investment After Backing Anthropic
- Amazon is reportedly negotiating a $50 billion investment in OpenAI as part of the startup's $100 billion funding round valuing it at $830 billion[1][2][3].
- Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is personally leading talks with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman[2][3].
- The potential deal follows Amazon's $8 billion investment in rival Anthropic and a $38 billion cloud agreement with OpenAI[2][3].
- OpenAI is also discussing investments with Nvidia, SoftBank and Middle East sovereign wealth funds, with the round expected to close by end of Q1[2].
Amazon is in advanced discussions to invest up to $50 billion in OpenAI, participating in the AI company's planned $100 billion funding round that would value it at $830 billion, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal cited across multiple outlets[1][2][3]. The talks, led by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, come after Amazon's prior commitments to OpenAI rival Anthropic.
Background on Negotiations
Reports indicate Amazon's involvement escalated from earlier talks in December for a $10 billion investment involving its custom Trainium AI chips. In November 2025, the companies signed a seven-year, $38 billion cloud computing agreement, providing OpenAI access to Nvidia's GB200 and GB300 processors via Amazon Web Services infrastructure[3]. This deal forms part of OpenAI's broader cloud commitments totaling around $1.4 trillion. Amazon has not confirmed the discussions, and representatives from both companies declined to comment when contacted by TechCrunch[2].
Amazon's Existing AI Investments
Amazon has already invested at least $8 billion in Anthropic, for which AWS serves as the primary cloud and training provider. The company recently opened an $11 billion data center campus in Indiana dedicated to running Anthropic models and is developing 'Rainier' supercomputers using nearly 500,000 Trainium2 chips for the firm[2][3]. These moves position Amazon deeply in the AI infrastructure space despite the reported OpenAI pursuit.
OpenAI Funding Details
OpenAI, currently valued at $500 billion, seeks $100 billion in new capital, potentially lifting its valuation to $830 billion. Besides Amazon, the company has held talks with Nvidia, SoftBank and sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East. The funding round is expected to close by the end of the first quarter[2].
Companies mentioned
Amazon.com, Inc. operates a vast global retail enterprise, distributing consumer goods and subscription services through both its extensive online platforms and a network of physical stores across North America and inte…