Organization

OpenAI

American artificial intelligence research organization, founded as a nonprofit in December 2015; it added a capped-profit arm, OpenAI LP, in 2019 and recapitalized it as OpenAI Group PBC in October 2025.

36 links, 36 backed by primary records

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Dates
Dec 2015 –
Also known as
OpenAI Inc., OpenAI Nonprofit, OpenAI LP, OpenAI Global, LLC, OpenAI Group PBC, OpenAI Foundation
Over time
  1. Active Dec 2015 –
  2. board members Sam Altman Dec 2015 – 17 Nov 2023
  3. funded by Elon Musk (donor, $44M) 2016 – Sep 2020
  4. board members Greg Brockman Feb 2018 – 17 Nov 2023
  5. board members Ilya Sutskever Feb 2018 – 29 Nov 2023
  6. board members Adam D'Angelo Mar 2019 –
  7. chaired by Greg Brockman Mar 2019 – 17 Nov 2023
  8. CEO Sam Altman Mar 2019 – 17 Nov 2023
  9. chaired by Bret Taylor 29 Nov 2023 –

4 more in the Timeline ›

Who holds OpenAI

Connections 36

founded by

CEO

chaired by

headed by

board members

investors

stakeholders

  • Microsoft Oct 2025 – 27%, as of 31 Dec 2025 Primary record 12

funded by

  • Amazon Dec 2015 donor, through Amazon Web Services (AWS) Primary record 3
  • Elon Musk Dec 2015 donor Primary record 3

    One of the launch donors; together they committed $1 billion. A pledge, not money received; amounts per donor were not given.

  • Greg Brockman Dec 2015 donor Primary record 3
  • Infosys Dec 2015 donor Primary record 3
  • Jessica Livingston Dec 2015 donor Primary record 3
  • Peter Thiel Dec 2015 donor Primary record 3
  • Reid Hoffman Dec 2015 donor Primary record 3
  • Sam Altman Dec 2015 donor Primary record 3
  • YC Research Dec 2015 donor Primary record 3
  • Elon Musk 2016 – Sep 2020 donor, $44M Primary record 1213

    Musk's lawsuit says more than $44 million; OpenAI says less than $45 million. Both put it at about $44 million.

  • Reid Hoffman Feb 2018 donor Primary record 9
Timeline 37 dates
  1. Dec 2015 – OpenAI
  2. Dec 2015 Elon Musk founded OpenAI
  3. Dec 2015 Greg Brockman founded OpenAI
  4. Dec 2015 Ilya Sutskever founded OpenAI
  5. Dec 2015 Sam Altman founded OpenAI
  6. Dec 2015 – Feb 2018 Elon Musk board member of OpenAI
  7. Dec 2015 – 17 Nov 2023 Sam Altman board member of OpenAI
  8. Dec 2015 Amazon funded OpenAI
  9. Dec 2015 Elon Musk funded OpenAI
  10. Dec 2015 Greg Brockman funded OpenAI
  11. Dec 2015 Infosys funded OpenAI
  12. Dec 2015 Jessica Livingston funded OpenAI
  13. Dec 2015 Peter Thiel funded OpenAI
  14. Dec 2015 Reid Hoffman funded OpenAI
  15. Dec 2015 Sam Altman funded OpenAI
  16. Dec 2015 YC Research funded OpenAI
  17. 2016 – Sep 2020 Elon Musk funded OpenAI
  18. Feb 2018 – 17 Nov 2023 Greg Brockman board member of OpenAI
  19. Feb 2018 – 29 Nov 2023 Ilya Sutskever board member of OpenAI
  20. Feb 2018 Reid Hoffman funded OpenAI
  21. Mar 2019 – 17 Nov 2023 Sam Altman CEO of OpenAI
  22. Mar 2019 – 17 Nov 2023 Greg Brockman chair of OpenAI
  23. Mar 2019 – Adam D'Angelo board member of OpenAI
  24. Mar 2019 Reid Hoffman board member of OpenAI
  25. Mar 2019 Khosla Ventures invested in OpenAI
  26. 22 Jul 2019 Microsoft invested in OpenAI
  27. 2021 Microsoft invested in OpenAI
  28. 23 Jan 2023 Microsoft invested in OpenAI
  29. 17 Nov 2023 Mira Murati head of OpenAI
  30. 29 Nov 2023 – Sam Altman CEO of OpenAI
  31. 29 Nov 2023 – Bret Taylor chair of OpenAI
  32. 29 Nov 2023 Larry Summers board member of OpenAI
  33. 8 Mar 2024 Fidji Simo board member of OpenAI
  34. 8 Mar 2024 Nicole Seligman board member of OpenAI
  35. 8 Mar 2024 – Sam Altman board member of OpenAI
  36. 8 Mar 2024 Sue Desmond-Hellmann board member of OpenAI
  37. Oct 2025 – Microsoft owns a stake in OpenAI
Proof 13 sources
  1. Microsoft Corporation Form 10-Q, quarter ended December 31, 2025, Microsoft, 28 Jan 2026. Primary record
    We have an investment of approximately 27 percent of OpenAI on an as-converted basis accounted for under the equity method of accounting.
  2. The next chapter of the Microsoft–OpenAI partnership, Microsoft, 28 Oct 2025. Primary record
    Following the recapitalization, Microsoft holds an investment in OpenAI Group PBC valued at approximately $135 billion, representing roughly 27 percent on an as-converted diluted basis, inclusive of all owners – employees, investors, and the OpenAI Foundation.
  3. Introducing OpenAI, OpenAI, 11 Dec 2015. Primary record
    OpenAI's co-chairs are Sam Altman and Elon Musk.
    OpenAI's research director is Ilya Sutskever, one of the world experts in machine learning. Our CTO is Greg Brockman, formerly the CTO of Stripe. The group's other founding members are world-class research engineers and scientists:
    Sam, Greg, Elon, Reid Hoffman, Jessica Livingston, Peter Thiel, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Infosys, and YC Research are donating to support OpenAI. In total, these funders have committed $1 billion, although we expect to only spend a tiny fraction of this in the next few years.
  4. OpenAI announces leadership transition, OpenAI, 17 Nov 2023. Primary record
    We are grateful for Sam’s many contributions to the founding and growth of OpenAI.
    The board of directors of OpenAI, Inc., the 501(c)(3) that acts as the overall governing body for all OpenAI activities, today announced that Sam Altman will depart as CEO and leave the board of directors.
    As a part of this transition, Greg Brockman will be stepping down as chairman of the board and will remain in his role at the company, reporting to the CEO.
    Mira Murati, the company’s chief technology officer, will serve as interim CEO, effective immediately.
    OpenAI’s board of directors consists of OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, independent directors Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo, technology entrepreneur Tasha McCauley, and Georgetown Center for Security and Emerging Technology’s Helen Toner.
  5. Testimony of Sam Altman, Co-Founder and CEO, OpenAI: Winning the AI Race (Senate Commerce Committee), U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, 8 May 2025. Primary record
    Testimony of Sam Altman, Co-Founder and CEO, OpenAI
  6. OpenAI LP, OpenAI, 11 Mar 2019. Primary record
    OpenAI Nonprofit’s board consists of OpenAI LP employees Greg Brockman (Chairman & CTO), Ilya Sutskever (Chief Scientist), and Sam Altman (CEO), and non-employees Adam D’Angelo, Holden Karnofsky, Reid Hoffman
    Elon Musk left the board of OpenAI Nonprofit in February 2018 and is not formally involved with OpenAI LP.
    Our investors include Reid Hoffman's charitable foundation and Khosla Ventures, among others.
  7. Sam Altman returns as CEO, OpenAI has a new initial board, OpenAI, 29 Nov 2023. Primary record
    I am returning to OpenAI as CEO. Mira will return to her role as CTO. The new initial board will consist of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D’Angelo.
    While Ilya will no longer serve on the board, we hope to continue our working relationship and are discussing how he can continue his work at OpenAI.
  8. Review completed & Altman, Brockman to continue to lead OpenAI, OpenAI, 8 Mar 2024. Primary record
    “We have unanimously concluded that Sam and Greg are the right leaders for OpenAI,” stated Bret Taylor, Chair of the OpenAI Board.
    On December 8, 2023, the Special Committee retained WilmerHale to conduct a review of the events concerning the November 17, 2023 removal of Sam Altman and Greg Brockman from the OpenAI Board of Directors and Mr. Altman’s termination as CEO.
    They will work closely with current board members Adam D’Angelo, Larry Summers and Bret Taylor as well as Greg, Sam, and OpenAI’s senior management.
    Fidji Simo, CEO and Chair of Instacart and on the Board of Directors at Shopify
    As Chair of the Board, I am excited to welcome Sue, Nicole, and Fidji to the OpenAI Board of Directors.
    Nicole Seligman, former EVP and Global General Counsel of Sony and President of Sony Entertainment and on the Board of Directors at Paramount Global, Meira GTx, and Intuitive Machines, Inc.
    Sam Altman, as CEO, will rejoin the OpenAI Board of Directors.
    Dr. Sue Desmond-Hellmann, former CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and on the Board of Directors at Pfizer and on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
  9. OpenAI Supporters, OpenAI, 20 Feb 2018. Primary record
    Additionally, Elon Musk will depart the OpenAI Board but will continue to donate and advise the organization.
    The Board is now Greg Brockman, Ilya Sutskever, Holden Karnofsky, and Sam Altman.
    Reid Hoffman is significantly increasing his contribution.
  10. OpenAI forms exclusive computing partnership with Microsoft to build new Azure AI supercomputing technologies, Microsoft, 22 Jul 2019. Primary record
    Multiyear partnership founded on shared values of trustworthiness and empowerment, and an investment of $1 billion from Microsoft, will focus on building a platform that OpenAI will use to create new AI technologies and deliver on the promise of artificial general intelligence
  11. Microsoft and OpenAI extend partnership, Microsoft, 23 Jan 2023. Primary record
    This agreement follows our previous investments in 2019 and 2021.
    Today, we are announcing the third phase of our long-term partnership with OpenAI through a multiyear, multibillion dollar investment to accelerate AI breakthroughs to ensure these benefits are broadly shared with the world.
  12. Complaint, Musk v. Altman, No. 3:24-cv-04722 (N.D. Cal.), U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, 5 Aug 2024. Primary record
    All told, Musk contributed more than $44 million to OpenAI, Inc. in its first five critical years.
  13. OpenAI and Elon Musk, OpenAI, 5 Mar 2024. Primary record
    Elon said we should announce an initial $1B funding commitment to OpenAI. In total, the non-profit has raised less than $45M from Elon and more than $90M from other donors.
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