Singapore’s Temasek Holdings is holding talks about investing in OpenAI, a deal that would mark the first time a state-backed group has funded the ChatGPT maker. Senior executives at Temasek, one of the world’s biggest and most active investors, have met OpenAI’s chief executive Sam Altman multiple times over recent months, according to two people with knowledge of the talks.
Another person familiar with the discussions said the Singaporean group had initially been interested in investing in Altman’s venture capital fund Hydrazine Capital, but more recent talks had included OpenAI itself. This person added that the talks were preliminary but continuing, with no agreement on the size of any investment.
…The controversy [over Altman’s firing], however, has not soured the appetite of institutional investors such as Temasek, which has continued its discussions with Altman in the aftermath.
…AI is a key focus for investment, according to the fund’s management. Among its existing investments in the space are UK legal technology company Robin AI, South Korean fabless AI chip start-up Rebellions and Silicon Valley-based generative AI chip designer d-Matrix.