Who Owns ChatGPT: The Owners Behind the Popular AI Chatbot

OpenAI, the company that owns ChatGPT, was founded in December 2015 by Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, Elon Musk, and several other members. At the time of writing, Microsoft owns 49% of the company, while the majority share is controlled by OpenAI.

The founding team combined their experiences in software engineering, data science, and technology entrepreneurship to form an organization whose mission was to build artificial intelligence for the greater good of humanity.

Who Owns ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is owned by OpenAI, an American business devoted to AI research.

Ever since its launch in 2022, ChatGPT hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down in terms of feature additions or maintaining user excitement worldwide. 

It has gained over 100 million users by January 2023, making it the most populous consumer program in history. This helped to raise OpenAI’s valuation to $29 billion. ChatGPT reached 100 million members quicker than Instagram and TikTok. Both the for-profit commercial subsidiary OpenAI LP and the non-profit OpenAI Incorporation are represented by OpenAI. OpenAI was formed and initially operated only for nonprofit purposes, with the lofty goal of creating artificial general intelligence (AGI) that would help all people.

ChatGPT dashboard. Image source: Forbes

OpenAI

OpenAI, which has a for-profit commercial subsidiary, OpenAI LP, and the non-profit OpenAI Incorporation, was initially created for nonprofit purposes, with the lofty goal of creating artificial general intelligence (AGI) that would benefit all people. However, ChatGPT has since developed into a multi-tiered software solution that presently includes the constant free edition together with ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Enterprise.

Owners of OpenAI

Since its founding in December 2015, OpenAI’s ownership structure has changed significantly. The organization was founded with the intention of promoting artificial intelligence (AI) for the benefit of humanity by a group of prominent figures in the IT industry, including Ilya Sutskever, Greg Brockman, Trevor Blackwell, Vicki Cheung, Andrej Karpathy, Durk Kingma, and Jessica Livingston. One of the prominent individuals concerned was Elon Musk, a well-known businessman most recognized for his contributions to SpaceX and Tesla (TSLA).

The company changed from being a non-profit to a for-profit organization with the goal of raising funds for extensive AI research and development. Notwithstanding this change, OpenAI continued to place a high priority on moral issues in AI research and responsible AI use.

At the moment, OpenAI has a collaboration with Microsoft as part of its ownership structure. Despite Microsoft’s multibillion-dollar contribution, OpenAI is still completely independent and is run by the OpenAI Nonprofit. Because of its special organizational design, OpenAI is able to leverage Microsoft’s resources and experience without sacrificing its independence or dedication to its founding ideals.

Sam Altman, the CEO and founder of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. Source: Getty Images for TechCrunch (Photo by Steve Jennings)

The OpenAI leadership group consists of Bret Taylor, who is the Chairman; Sam Altman, the CEO; Greg Brockman, the President; and Ilya Sutskeverwho is the CSO. The diverse range of experiences and knowledge possessed by each member aids in directing OpenAI’s strategic course.

Microsoft’s Partnership with OpenAI

In 2019, Microsoft (MSFT) invested $13 billion in OpenAI, a move that completely changed the direction of artificial intelligence (AI) advancement and research.  The collaboration sought to ensure the responsible and safe application of artificial general intelligence (AGI), all while expediting its development.

The investment showed the concerted effort to advance AI technology for the good of humanity, which was a major turning point in the IT industry. On the other hand, the deal’s peculiar ownership structure has drawn praise and criticism alike.

Microsoft acquired sizable ownership in OpenAI as a result of its investment in the company. Microsoft effectively acquired a 49% stake in OpenAI and became heavily involved in the company’s research and strategic planning.

This collaboration established Microsoft as a pivotal figure in directing OpenAI’s audacious ambitions. It is worth noting that MSFT stock saw a major increase in value following the partnership.

According to the agreement, Microsoft would be paid 75 percent of OpenAI’s earnings up until the original billion-dollar investment was recouped. This unique arrangement showed a shared dedication to the partnership’s financial prosperity while also emphasizing how both organizations want to advance the development and research of artificial intelligence to a significant degree.

Microsoft and OpenAI have been working together on real-world applications, such as the Azure OpenAI Service. This service demonstrates how their technologies are integrated for wider accessibility and impact, including private connectivity, regional access, and efficient AI content monitoring.

OpenAI’s development of ChatGPT

With the development of ChatGPT, OpenAI has made a significant contribution to conversational AI and highlighted significant progress in natural language production and understanding. The origins of ChatGPT and its ensuing improvements represent a revolutionary endeavor to expand the potential of artificial intelligence.

As an extension to InstructGPT, OpenAI created ChatGPT, which can understand prompts and provide thorough answers. The original goal was to develop a conversational AI that could engage with users in a dynamic and contextually relevant manner. The process of development included a rigorous training routine that exposed ChatGPT to a wide range of datasets with varying degrees of linguistic complexity. By using iterative improvement methods, OpenAI improved the model’s performance over time. With the help of this adaptive training process, ChatGPT was able to keep up with changing user expectations and linguistic trends.

ChatGPT’s adaptability cuts beyond traditional lines and finds use in a multitude of fields. Its powers have been used by users for a variety of tasks, such as idea development, essay writing, and engaging conversations. Its uses are not limited to conventional domains; it also significantly enhances content creation, creative writing, and instructional settings.

Read more: Chat GPT Sandbox: How to Use GPT 3.5 Playground?

OpenAI dutifully recognized the necessity of ethical considerations as ChatGPT gained popularity, particularly in essay writing and classroom applications. Engaging in discussions on AI and ethics, OpenAI emphasized the need to use ChatGPT responsibly in order to maintain academic standards.

It is evident from OpenAI’s persistent commitment to development that ChatGPT will continue to advance. This dedication is demonstrated by the investigation of customized AI chip creation, a calculated move meant to improve the effectiveness and functionality of AI models, such as ChatGPT. The course of ChatGPT’s growth is similar to OpenAI’s continuous quest of AI innovation excellence.

The bottom line

OpenAI owns ChatGPT, and this ownership is integral to the responsible development and deployment of the language model. As the creator and steward of ChatGPT, OpenAI ensures that the technology is used ethically, prioritizing user safety and responsible AI practices. OpenAI’s ownership signifies a commitment to accountability and transparency in the continued evolution of ChatGPT.

The ownership structure ensures that the development team can make informed decisions regarding feature updates, enhancements, and safeguards.

While you can’t buy ChatGPT stock directly, as it is not directly traded on the public market, you can still invest in companies that are tied to ChatGTP’s success by providing the necessary hardware and software.

If you’re interested in exploring the net worth of these Influencers or you want to learn more about the ownership structures of other major corporations or brands, check out our articles on entertainment giants Lionsgate and Paramount.