**Leaked Files Reveal OpenAI’s Massive Payments to Microsoft in 2024-2025**
In a major development that has sent shockwaves through the...
In a major development that has sent shockwaves through the tech industry, newly leaked internal documents have exposed the staggering scale of payments made by OpenAI to Microsoft over the past two years. The revelations offer an unprecedented look into the financial dynamics between the two AI giants and raise pressing questions about the profitability and sustainability of OpenAI’s business model as it races to dominate the artificial intelligence landscape.
According to documents obtained by tech blogger Ed Zitron an...
According to documents obtained by tech blogger Ed Zitron and cited by multiple outlets, OpenAI paid Microsoft $493.8 million in revenue-sharing payments in 2024. That figure surged to $865.8 million in just the first nine months of 2025, nearly doubling the previous year’s total in less than a year. These payments are part of a broader agreement tied to Microsoft’s multi-billion-dollar investment in OpenAI, under which Microsoft receives approximately 20% of OpenAI’s revenue.
The leaked files also shed light on the immense costs OpenAI...
The leaked files also shed light on the immense costs OpenAI incurs to run its AI models. Inference—the computing power required to operate trained models like those powering ChatGPT—has become a major expense. OpenAI reportedly spent around $3.8 billion on inference in 2024, a figure that ballooned to $8.65 billion in the first nine months of 2025 alone. Most of this compute is powered by Microsoft Azure, though OpenAI also leverages cloud services from CoreWeave, Oracle, AWS, and Google Cloud.
Industry analysts note that these figures suggest OpenAI may...
Industry analysts note that these figures suggest OpenAI may be spending more on inference than it is currently earning in revenue, raising concerns about the company’s path to profitability. “The numbers indicate that the cost of running AI at scale is astronomical,” said one tech analyst. “Even with explosive growth, the margins are razor-thin, if they exist at all.”
The financial relationship between OpenAI and Microsoft is f...
The financial relationship between OpenAI and Microsoft is further complicated by reciprocal revenue sharing. Microsoft returns a portion of its own AI-related revenue—such as from Bing’s AI features and the Azure OpenAI Service—to OpenAI. However, these internal adjustments make it difficult to track the full flow of money between the two companies.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently stated that the company’s ann...
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently stated that the company’s annual revenue is “well more” than the often-cited $13 billion and could reach an annualized run rate of over $20 billion by the end of 2025. Based on the 20% revenue share, OpenAI’s revenue would have been at least $2.5 billion in 2024 and over $4.3 billion in the first nine months of 2025.
The leaked documents come at a critical time for OpenAI, whi...
The leaked documents come at a critical time for OpenAI, which is reportedly preparing for a potential IPO. Investors and regulators are closely watching the company’s financial health, especially as the AI sector faces increasing scrutiny over its high costs and uncertain profitability.
The revelations underscore the immense financial challenges...
The revelations underscore the immense financial challenges of operating at the cutting edge of AI. While OpenAI continues to innovate and expand its reach, the leaked files highlight the heavy reliance on Microsoft’s infrastructure and the significant financial burden of powering the next generation of AI technologies.
As the AI race intensifies, the spotlight on OpenAI’s financ...
As the AI race intensifies, the spotlight on OpenAI’s finances is likely to grow, with industry watchers eager to see how the company navigates the delicate balance between innovation, investment, and profitability.
🔄 Updated: 11/16/2025, 5:30:51 PM
Leaked internal documents reveal OpenAI paid Microsoft $493.8 million in revenue sharing during 2024, escalating sharply to $865.8 million in the first nine months of 2025, reflecting a 20% cut of OpenAI’s revenues under their investment deal[2][4]. Meanwhile, OpenAI’s inference compute costs surged from $3.8 billion in 2024 to $8.65 billion in the first three quarters of 2025, primarily for running large models on Microsoft Azure, which indicates that compute spending may be outpacing revenue and poses significant challenges to profitability and scalability at current AI deployment levels[2][4][8]. Sources note Microsoft often offsets training costs via credits, but inference expenses are paid
🔄 Updated: 11/16/2025, 5:40:49 PM
Regulators have initiated inquiries following leaked documents revealing OpenAI's massive payments to Microsoft—$493.8 million in 2024 and $865.8 million in the first nine months of 2025—as part of a 20% revenue-sharing deal tied to Microsoft's multi-billion-dollar investment. U.S. antitrust authorities are reportedly examining potential market concentration risks given the deep financial entanglement, with some experts calling for increased transparency and oversight of such tech partnerships amid surging AI market stakes. Official statements have yet to be released, but the leak has intensified scrutiny over the financial and competitive dynamics between these AI giants[1][4][12].
🔄 Updated: 11/16/2025, 5:50:48 PM
Consumer and public reaction to the leaked files revealing OpenAI's massive payments to Microsoft—$494 million in 2024 and $866 million in the first three quarters of 2025—has been mixed, with many expressing shock over the scale of financial transfers amid concerns about AI's sustainability. Some critics highlight the staggering $8.65 billion inference costs reported, questioning if OpenAI’s spending, including the 20% revenue share with Microsoft, may jeopardize long-term profitability. Tech analyst Ed Zitron noted this financial entanglement underscores the high cost of powering AI models, sparking debate about whether AI growth can remain economically viable under such expenses[2][6][8].
🔄 Updated: 11/16/2025, 6:00:48 PM
Leaked financial documents reveal OpenAI paid Microsoft $493.8 million in revenue-sharing in 2024, surging to $865.8 million in the first nine months of 2025, with experts warning that inference costs—soaring to $8.65 billion in the same period—may now exceed OpenAI’s revenue. Industry analysts, including Ed Zitron, note that Microsoft’s 20% revenue cut and dominant cloud position create “an unsustainable cost structure” for OpenAI, raising serious questions about the long-term profitability of large-scale AI operations.
🔄 Updated: 11/16/2025, 6:10:47 PM
Leaked internal documents reveal OpenAI paid Microsoft $493.8 million in revenue-sharing during 2024, with that figure surging to $865.8 million in just the first nine months of 2025, according to files obtained by tech blogger Ed Zitron. The disclosures highlight OpenAI’s soaring inference costs—reaching $8.65 billion in the same 2025 period—and raise fresh concerns about the company’s profitability as it prepares for a potential IPO. CEO Sam Altman recently stated OpenAI’s annualized revenue run rate could exceed $20 billion by year-end, but the heavy payments to Microsoft underscore the financial strain of scaling AI operations.
🔄 Updated: 11/16/2025, 6:20:50 PM
Leaked documents reveal that OpenAI paid Microsoft $493.8 million in 2024 and surged to $865.8 million in the first three quarters of 2025 under a revenue-sharing agreement tied to Microsoft’s $13 billion investment, highlighting a critical global reliance on Microsoft's Azure cloud infrastructure for AI development[2][4]. Internationally, this financial interdependence has prompted scrutiny from regulators and industry observers across Europe, Asia, and North America about market concentration and the geopolitical implications of such dominant US tech partnerships in the AI race. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman emphasized the partnership's scale by projecting OpenAI’s annualized revenue could exceed $20 billion by the end of 2025, underscoring the global economic impact of these
🔄 Updated: 11/16/2025, 6:30:50 PM
Leaked documents exposing OpenAI’s payments to Microsoft—$494 million in 2024 and $866 million in the first three quarters of 2025—have sparked global scrutiny, highlighting the immense costs of running AI at scale and raising questions about the sustainability of AI business models worldwide[2][4]. Internationally, regulators and industry experts are closely watching this financial interplay as it underscores Microsoft’s expanding influence in the AI sector through its $13 billion investment in OpenAI, potentially reshaping global AI market dynamics and prompting calls for transparency and fair competition[6][8]. The financial revelations have also intensified debate over the economic impact of AI infrastructure spending across major markets in North America, Europe, and Asia.
🔄 Updated: 11/16/2025, 6:40:50 PM
**BREAKING: Leaked Financial Documents Expose OpenAI's Staggering Microsoft Payments**
Confidential internal documents obtained by tech blogger Ed Zitron have revealed that OpenAI paid Microsoft $493.8 million in 2024 through revenue-sharing agreements, with payments skyrocketing to $865.8 million in just the first nine months of 2025—a 75% increase year-over-year.[1][2][4] The leaked files expose a critical vulnerability in OpenAI's business model: inference costs alone reached approximately $3.8 billion in 2024 and surged to around $8.65 billion in the first three quarters
🔄 Updated: 11/16/2025, 6:50:47 PM
Leaked documents reveal that OpenAI paid Microsoft $493.8 million in revenue sharing in 2024, rising sharply to $865.8 million in the first nine months of 2025, reflecting a 20% cut of OpenAI’s revenue under their partnership[2][4]. Simultaneously, OpenAI’s compute costs for inference — the processing power for running AI models — surged from $3.8 billion in 2024 to $8.65 billion through September 2025, primarily on Microsoft Azure infrastructure[2][4]. This technical and financial structure highlights the massive operational expenses of large AI models, raising concerns about OpenAI’s profitability as inference costs may currently exceed its revenue[2][4].
🔄 Updated: 11/16/2025, 7:00:58 PM
Leaked internal documents reveal that OpenAI paid Microsoft approximately **$493.8 million** in revenue share during 2024, escalating sharply to **$865.8 million** in the first three quarters of 2025, based on a 20% revenue share agreement tied to Microsoft’s $13 billion investment[1][2][4]. Technical analysis shows OpenAI’s inference compute costs—running trained AI models—soared to about **$3.8 billion in 2024** and an estimated **$8.65 billion during the first nine months of 2025**, mostly on Microsoft Azure, indicating these operational expenses may currently outpace OpenAI’s revenue[2][4]. This creates significant financial pressure and raises critical questions
🔄 Updated: 11/16/2025, 7:10:51 PM
Leaked internal documents obtained by tech blogger Ed Zitron have exposed the scale of OpenAI's financial relationship with Microsoft, revealing payments of $493.8 million in 2024 and $865.8 million in the first three quarters of 2025—totaling $1.36 billion in revenue sharing stemming from Microsoft's 20% cut under their multi-billion-dollar investment agreement.[1][2][6] The disclosures have triggered global scrutiny among AI investors and tech analysts, raising critical questions about the profitability of large-scale AI operations as OpenAI's inference compute costs reached approximately $3.8 billion in 2024 and surged to aroun
🔄 Updated: 11/16/2025, 7:20:55 PM
Leaked financial documents reveal OpenAI paid Microsoft $493.8 million in 2024 and $865.8 million in the first nine months of 2025, sparking global concern among investors and regulators about the concentration of AI power and revenue between two tech giants. International observers, including the European Commission and Japan’s Fair Trade Commission, have called for greater scrutiny of the OpenAI-Microsoft partnership, with one EU official stating, “These figures highlight the urgent need for transparency in AI’s financial ecosystem.”
🔄 Updated: 11/16/2025, 7:30:53 PM
Leaked internal documents obtained by tech blogger Ed Zitron have exposed the scale of OpenAI's financial relationship with Microsoft, revealing the company paid Microsoft $493.8 million in 2024 and $865.8 million in the first three quarters of 2025 under a revenue-sharing agreement that entitles Microsoft to approximately 20% of OpenAI's revenue.[1][4] The documents also disclosed that OpenAI's inference costs reached $8.65 billion during the same nine-month period in 2025, raising significant questions about whether the company's spending on running its AI models is outpacing its revenue generation.[12] These figures suggest OpenAI's minimum revenue
🔄 Updated: 11/16/2025, 7:40:53 PM
**BREAKING: Leaked Documents Expose OpenAI's Skyrocketing Microsoft Payments**
Confidential internal documents obtained by tech blogger Ed Zitron reveal OpenAI paid Microsoft $493.8 million in 2024 through revenue sharing, surging to $865.8 million in just the first three quarters of 2025—nearly doubling year-over-year under their 20% revenue-share agreement.[1][4] The leaked files expose a critical vulnerability in OpenAI's economics: the company spent approximately $3.8 billion on inference compute costs in 2024 and $8.65 billion in the first nine months of 2025,