Artificial intelligence (AI) company OpenAI has reportedly completed one of the largest employee- liquidity events seen in the AI industry. This allows current and former staff members to sell billions of dollars worth of shares in a major secondary transaction.
According to reports, the sale took place in October 2025 and valued the company at close to $400 billion. More than 600 present and former employees participated in the programme, collectively selling around $6.6 billion worth of stock to investors eager to gain exposure to the rapidly-expanding AI sector.
The transaction reportedly allowed eligible employees to offload portions of their holdings without the company issuing fresh shares. Instead, investors purchased existing shares through a structured secondary sale arrangement. Around 75 participants are believed to have sold the maximum permitted amount of $30 million each.
The development highlights the extraordinary rise in OpenAI’s market value over the past two years as generative AI tools continue to reshape industries worldwide. The company has become one of the most influential players in AI following the global success of ChatGPT and its growing suite of enterprise AI products.
OpenAI has attracted strong backing from Microsoft, which has invested heavily in the company and incorporated OpenAI technology across several services and platforms.
Secondary share sales have become increasingly common among large private-technology firms looking to provide liquidity opportunities for employees while delaying public listings. The latest transaction is seen as a major financial milestone for many OpenAI staff members who joined the company before the explosive growth of the AI market.
OpenAI has not officially commented on the reported valuation or details of the transaction. The company continues to expand its AI infrastructure, partnerships and product ecosystem amid intensifying global competition in artificial intelligence.
