Microsoft invested 1 billion dollars in OpenAI in 2019

fact July 22, 2019

On July 22, 2019, Microsoft announced “1 billion dollars from Microsoft” invested in OpenAI, tied to an exclusive computing partnership in which OpenAI “will port its services to run on Microsoft Azure” and “Microsoft will become OpenAI’s preferred partner for commercializing new AI technologies.” This was the first large outside investment in OpenAI’s then-new capped-profit structure. Verified live from Microsoft’s own announcement.

Sources

PRIMARY https://news.microsoft.com/2019/07/22/openai-forms-exclusive-computing-partnership-with-microsoft-to-build-new-azure-ai-supercomputing-technologies/
Last verified June 6, 2026

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