OpenAI is riding the artificial intelligence wave and is poised to achieve an astonishing valuation of $80 billion.

OpenAI – Number Three in the World

The $80 billion figure would crown the AI firm as the third most valuable startup globally, a leap that would leave fintech darling Stripe and fast-fashion maven Shein in the dust. It's a masterstroke, positioning the company right behind TikTok's ByteDance and Elon Musk's cosmic brainchild, SpaceX. Talk about a meteoric rise!

The tech realm is witnessing a shift; giants are finding ways to work with startups rather than gobbling them up. Amazon, for instance, recently poured a hefty sum into a rival company Anthropic as companies work to avoid antitrust issues. Microsoft, another major investor in the AI industry, owns 49% of OpenAI.

Money Talks: Employee Shares and Tech's New Game

OpenAI has been talking with investors such as Thrive Capital to sell as much as $1 billion worth of employee shares in a so-called tender offer, the FT reported. The deal would not only let employees cash in on the company’s success and also help the firm compete with other startups and other rivals for engineering talent.

Funding and New Moves

While global startup funding has dipped, AI-related firms are thriving. The marketing game has changed, with investors now bullish on AI's potential, foreseeing a future where OpenAI and its peers could become the next wave of tech giants.

The company is riding high, aiming to generate a billion dollars in annual revenue from its brainchild, ChatGPT. And they're not stopping there; the company is delving into AI chip creation and leading the charge in artificial general intelligence. A compelling journey awaits.