OpenAI has completely withdrawn its initial plan to separate the revenue-generating business sector. CEO Sam Altman officially announced this policy change through a recent employee notice, stating that the non-profit parent organization will continue to maintain overall organizational control. This decision reflects consultations with attorneys general in Delaware and California, as well as concerns from civil society leaders.
OpenAI was launched in 2015 as a non-profit AI research institute. In 2019, it established a for-profit subsidiary to commercialize AI, after which major investors like Microsoft (MSFT), SoftBank, and NVIDIA (NVDA) made significant investments in this sector. Last year, the company had even announced plans to abolish investor return caps and convert the revenue sector into a "Public Benefit Corporation (PBC)" to clearly delineate boundaries with the non-profit organization.
However, according to the newly disclosed amendment, OpenAI will deviate from its original plan and maintain the non-profit organization's top governance structure. Consequently, the newly established PBC will be incorporated under the OpenAI Foundation, maintaining a structure that pursues both revenue and public interest simultaneously. CEO Altman explained, "The decision to maintain non-profit control demonstrates a genuine commitment to enhancing public responsibility, and we plan to continue collaboration with Microsoft and the newly appointed non-profit board."
This management direction shift was also significantly influenced by external pressures. Previously, Elon Musk had filed a lawsuit in California court, arguing that OpenAI was pursuing excessive commercialization, and former OpenAI employees had requested a review from US legal agencies, concerned that the restructuring might lean towards investor bias.
However, these changes could introduce variables to the company's valuation and investment conditions. Last year, OpenAI raised approximately $660 million, and some major venture capital firms included provisions allowing them to recover investments if restructuring is not completed within two years. Particularly, SoftBank promised an additional investment of up to $40 billion, predicated on OpenAI's transition to an independent revenue institution.
Moving forward, OpenAI plans to select an external financial advisory firm to evaluate the value of shareholder stakes that the non-profit entity will secure after establishing the PBC. Altman stated, "Business expansion will also grow the capabilities of the non-profit sector," emphasizing that "the ultimate purpose of AI technology development is to benefit humanity."
This restructuring withdrawal is analyzed as a compromise that maintains internal control while securing market-friendly flexibility. Especially with the upcoming GPT-5 release, OpenAI can now solidify its technological leadership while partially resolving debates about public responsibility. New features in GPT-5 will utilize the advanced reasoning model O3 disclosed in April, applicable to both free and paid versions.
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