OpenAI could face a massive funding shortfall of more than USD $200 billion by 2030 as soaring computing costs threaten to eclipse its revenue growth, according to a new research note from HSBC.
The bank’s updated financial model, shared with clients this week, suggests that even under optimistic forecasts, the maker of ChatGPT will be scrambling for cash as the global AI arms race intensifies.
HSBC estimates that OpenAI’s cloud and compute expenses — now tied to long-term deals with Microsoft, Amazon, and Oracle — could balloon to an extraordinary $800 billion over the next decade.
Despite predicting a surge to three billion ChatGPT users by 2030, up from 800 million last month, HSBC still projects OpenAI’s revenue will lag far behind its costs, reaching only around $129 billion while leaving a $207 billion gap.
The report adds to growing concern that the AI boom may be inflating an unsustainable tech bubble, as companies pour tens of billions into data centers, chips, and infrastructure in a race to match or surpass OpenAI’s capabilities.
OpenAI’s meteoric rise — including a recent valuation of roughly $500 billion after a major share sale — now sits against a backdrop of mounting questions about whether its business model can keep pace with the staggering cost of its own success.
Image credit: Andrew Neel
LOL, the earnings have been left out by Ai.
Who cares, AI is something that humanity does not really need so why not just scrap it..