OpenAI has informed investors of a significant shift in its financial partnership with Microsoft, revealing plans to reduce the share of revenue it allocates to the tech giant by at least half by the end of the decade. According to a report published by The Information on Tuesday, this adjustment comes amid a broader retreat from a proposed company-wide restructuring.
Previously, OpenAI had agreed to share 20% of its revenue with Microsoft through 2030 under an existing deal. However, new investor materials show that OpenAI now intends to limit that figure to just 10% by the same deadline. The reduction signals a recalibration of the company’s long-term financial commitments and potentially reflects a desire for more operational independence from its largest commercial partner.
Parent nonprofit regains control as restructuring stalls
This financial shift follows OpenAI’s decision to significantly scale back a major restructuring plan that would have shifted control away from its nonprofit parent. By retaining control, the nonprofit board is preserving its authority and is likely curbing CEO Sam Altman’s influence over OpenAI’s future direction.
The original restructuring discussions had stirred concern among some stakeholders about the balance of power within the company and the increasing role of commercial interests, particularly Microsoft, which has invested over $13 billion in OpenAI.
Microsoft still seeking long-term access to OpenAI technology
According to private documents reviewed by The Information, Microsoft is actively seeking continued access to OpenAI’s technologies well beyond the current contractual period that ends in 2030. The long-term partnership between the two companies remains significant, especially as AI becomes a critical component of Microsoft’s future cloud and enterprise strategies.
In response to inquiries about the partnership, a Microsoft spokesperson reiterated that their agreements with OpenAI involve “revenue sharing arrangements that flow both ways” and that the foundational elements of their collaboration will remain intact until at least 2030.
Strategic realignments amid infrastructure ambitions
Earlier this year, Microsoft also modified key terms of its agreement with OpenAI following the announcement of a joint venture with Oracle and Japan’s SoftBank Group. The trio plans to invest up to $500 billion in AI-focused data centers across the United States, underscoring the scale of Microsoft’s ambitions in artificial intelligence infrastructure and computing capacity.
This pivot may also influence Microsoft’s interest in renegotiating the financial and technological dynamics of its relationship with OpenAI, particularly if the latter seeks to assert greater independence.
OpenAI confirms continued cooperation
In a statement to The Information, an OpenAI spokesperson confirmed that the organization remains in close coordination with Microsoft and that both parties are working toward finalizing details of the updated capitalization structure.
“We continue to work closely with Microsoft, and look forward to finalizing the details of this recapitalization in the near future,” the spokesperson said.
Awaiting official confirmation
As of the time of reporting, neither OpenAI nor Microsoft responded to Reuters’ requests for additional comment outside regular business hours. However, the developments suggest a more defined effort by OpenAI to rebalance its partnerships and governance as it continues scaling its technology globally.
