The AI Podcast OpenAI’s Financial Stability Threatened by Microsoft Compute Prices
8 snips
Nov 18, 2025 OpenAI is facing escalating GPU rental costs, leading to unsustainable financial pressures. Leaked figures reveal Microsoft’s revenue share skyrocketing to nearly $865 million this year. A complex revenue-sharing agreement complicates public estimates, suggesting OpenAI may rake in $2.5 billion in 2024. Sam Altman projects a future of over $20 billion in annualized run rates, while OpenAI seeks partnerships beyond Microsoft for cloud services. This financial strain could indicate broader implications for the AI industry as valuations come into question.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Microsoft's Rapidly Rising Revenue Share
- Leaked docs show Microsoft received $493.8M from OpenAI in 2024 and $865.8M in the first three quarters of 2025.
- That payment aligns with a reported 20% revenue share tied to Microsoft's multi-billion dollar investment.
The Origin Of The 20% Revenue Share
- Jaeden recounts Microsoft's $10B investment after ChatGPT's launch and the reported 20% revenue-share clause.
- He notes multiple reports corroborate the 20% figure despite no public official confirmation.
Revenue Flows Between Microsoft And OpenAI Are Opaque
- Microsoft also shares revenue back from Bing and Azure OpenAI, complicating the net flow between the two firms.
- Public filings don't break out these amounts, so leaked documents provide rare visibility into the arrangement.