What happened
Leaked documents obtained by tech blogger Ed Zitron revealed the financial details of OpenAI's revenue-sharing arrangement with Microsoft. In 2024, Microsoft received $493.8 million in revenue share payments from OpenAI, while in the first three quarters of 2025, that figure jumped to $865.8 million. The documents also provided insight into OpenAI's inference costs and overall revenue figures.
Why it matters
- The leaked payments nearly doubled year-over-year, offering rare transparency into one of tech's most secretive financial relationships as OpenAI prepares for a potential IPO.
- The documents suggest OpenAI's revenue reached at least $4.33 billion in the first nine months of 2025, providing concrete data to evaluate the company's financial performance against CEO projections.
- The revenue-sharing structure reveals the deep financial interdependence between Microsoft and OpenAI, with Microsoft both receiving payments and providing computing infrastructure.
Key facts
- 1. Microsoft received $493.8 million in revenue share payments from OpenAI in 2024.
- 2. In the first three quarters of 2025, Microsoft received $865.8 million in revenue share payments from OpenAI.
- 3. OpenAI shares 20% of its revenue with Microsoft as part of their investment and partnership agreement.
