OpenAI Eyes $40 Billion Investment from Gulf and Asian Investors for Ambitious ‘Stargate’ AI Project

Malaz Madani

Last updated 15-06-2025

3 min

OpenAI is reportedly raising $40 billion, involving major partners like Saudi Arabia’s PIF and India’s Reliance.

The fund will support the 'Stargate' project, aimed at building advanced AI infrastructure led by SoftBank.

CEO Sam Altman has been meeting global officials to expand OpenAI's influence and partnerships.

The potential deal could transform the tech landscape, especially in the MENA region.

It highlights the Gulf and Asia's growing role in groundbreaking tech partnerships.

Rumors are buzzing around the startup universe at the moment: OpenAI, the company behind some of the most talked-about AI models, is circling up investors to raise a whopping 40 billion dollars. This funding round would reportedly bring on board some heavyweight partners, including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (“PIF”), India’s Reliance Industries, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX.

This isn't your run-of-the-mill funding round, well... I mean, 40 billion dollars is serious dosh by anyone's standards. But what’s got everyone really talking is the 'Stargate' project this cash injection aims to support. Stargate, led by none other than SoftBank, is OpenAI's ambitious plan to build infrastructure on a massive scale to boost their AI capabilities. Think powerful supercomputers and advanced AI architectures way beyond your average data centre setup.

If these talks come through, each partner is set to contribute in the hundreds of millions. Not pocket change, but clearly the rewards—and influence—could well be just as significant.

Interestingly, Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, has been making some important pitstops lately. He's personally travelled around, talking to senior government officials and investment groups. Earlier this year, for instance, Altman sat down with India’s Minister of Information Technology, exploring ways to deliver low-cost AI to the masses. On the flip side, his agenda also included discussions in the UAE focused explicitly on financing, notably with MGX investment group.

Now, I'm not usually a fan of speculation without solid facts, but I reckon if this deal goes through, it could significantly reshape the tech and AI lanscape—not just globally, but especially across our MENA ecosystem. Here at Arageek, we're always chuffed to bits seeing these sorts of global partnerships bring attention—and serious capital—to our region. It means founders, ecosystem players, and investors alike could ride the wave of greater collaborations and innovations.

And believe it or not, OpenAI pulling off pairing up regional giants with global players would send a strong signal: the Gulf and Asia are becoming epicentres for transformative tech partnerships. Even if your own startup isn't directly connected, a move like this creates ripples everyone can benefit from.

Overall, it's still early days and nothing's set in stone. Investors could still get cold feet or negotiate terms further down the line. But one thing's for sure: we'll be keeping an eye on this story. After all, when players this big talk business, it usually ends up shaping the future far beyond their own balance sheets.

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