Temasek Holdings, based in Singapore, is considering investing in OpenAI, a Microsoft-backed AI company, as reported by the Financial Times. Two individuals familiar with the matter shared that discussions have taken place.
Executives from Temasek have had multiple meetings with Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, in recent months. Altman is reportedly discussing securing funding from $5 trillion to $7 trillion for a network of AI chip factories.
In the United States, AI startups received a significant share of investment last year, with one-third of the total investment. This surge in investor interest followed the prominence of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, leading to a race among startups to advance AI technology.
Temasek is an engaged investor in the tech sector, boasting a portfolio valued at S$382 billion ($284.21 billion) as of March 31. Notable companies in its portfolio include Roblox, Tencent, and Alibaba.
The introduction of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022 garnered significant interest in generative AI technologies, prompting substantial investments in the necessary chips and servers to facilitate the widespread adoption of such applications.