SAN FRANCISCO, April 1 -- OpenAI yesterday said that the startup was valued at US$852 billion (about RM3.44 trillion) in a freshly closed funding round that raised US$122 billion (about RM493 billion).

The eye-watering level of funding came in higher than originally projected, reflecting the surging costs of computing power and arriving amid lingering questions about whether OpenAI and other AI companies can generate sufficient revenue to cover expenses.

"The capital being deployed today is helping build the infrastructure layer for intelligence itself," OpenAI said in a blog post.

"Over time, that value will flow back into the economy, to companies, to communities, and increasingly to individuals."

The ChatGPT-maker said that its rev...