Tech Brew Ride Home Tue. 04/01 – OpenAI Closes The Biggest Private Tech Round Ever
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Apr 1, 2025 OpenAI just made waves with a historic $40 billion funding round, positioning itself for major developments. Gmail is enhancing user security with new encryption features, making encrypted emails easier. In entertainment, Amazon is shifting gears by committing to theatrical releases for 14 major films each year. Meanwhile, Nintendo is evolving its strategy with the Switch 2 and plans for a live-action Legend of Zelda film, reflecting a new approach to leveraging its iconic IP for growth.
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OpenAI's Massive Funding Round
- OpenAI secured $40 billion in funding, the largest private tech deal ever, reaching a $300 billion valuation.
- SoftBank led with $30 billion, partially allocated to their Stargate joint venture.
SoftBank's Conditional Investment
- SoftBank's $30 billion investment hinges on OpenAI converting to for-profit by year-end.
- This conversion faces legal challenges from Elon Musk, a co-founder, and requires approvals.
OpenAI Returns to Open Weights
- OpenAI will release a new open-weight language model, its first since GPT-2.
- Facing pressure from open-source competitors like DeepSeek, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman admits their closed approach was wrong.