OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has signed a significant $11.9 billion contract with CoreWeave, an American cloud infrastructure provider specializing in artificial intelligence. According to Reuters, this five-year agreement primarily aims to ensure OpenAI has the computing power necessary to effectively train and deploy its advanced AI models, such as GPT-4.5.
This deal represents a notable evolution in OpenAI's strategy, which has until now been heavily reliant on Microsoft for its computing needs. By investing directly in CoreWeave, OpenAI seeks to diversify its infrastructure sources and reduce its dependency on a single strategic partner. OpenAI will also receive a $350 million stake in CoreWeave upon its upcoming initial public offering.
CoreWeave, aiming for an estimated valuation of $35 billion at its IPO, thus strengthens its position in a highly competitive market. Initially specializing in cryptocurrency mining, CoreWeave has successfully transitioned to AI cloud solutions. In 2024, the company generated $1.92 billion in revenues, a significant increase from $228.9 million in 2023, mainly due to contracts with major tech companies such as Microsoft, Meta, and IBM.
Although Microsoft remains an important financial partner, this diversification clearly shows emerging strategic tensions between the two companies as AI becomes a crucial economic and technological issue.