OpenAI to spend around $50 billion in computing costs

OpenAI expects to spend about $50 billion on computing power this year, a senior executive said during court testimony on May 6, underscoring the enormous cost of developing advanced artificial intelligence systems.

The figure was disclosed by OpenAI co-founder and president Greg Brockman while testifying in a lawsuit filed by tech billionaire Elon Musk, also a co-founder of the company, foreign media reports.

Musk alleges that Brockman and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman shifted the organisation away from its original non-profit mission toward a profit-driven model, effectively taking control of a charitable entity. OpenAI has rejected the claims.

The previously undisclosed spending estimate highlights the scale of investment required to build and operate modern AI systems, which remain in a rapidly developing phase. The company has also reportedly outlined long-term plans to invest more than $1 trillion in AI infrastructure.

OpenAI was founded with the stated mission of ensuring artificial intelligence benefits “all of humanity.” Musk argues that much of the company’s value is now concentrated in its for-profit arm, while OpenAI maintains that governance remains anchored in its non-profit structure and that a commercial model was necessary to fund large-scale development costs.

During cross-examination, Musk’s lawyer accused Brockman of pursuing personal financial gain, citing a diary entry in which he appeared to reflect on building a billion-dollar fortune. Brockman responded by alleging that Musk had sought control over OpenAI’s for-profit operations, claiming Musk had argued he required $80 billion to fund plans for a city on Mars.

ChatGPT, which helped drive the global AI boom more than three years ago, now faces increasing competition from firms such as Anthropic and Google, while Musk is also competing in the sector through his own AI venture, xAI.

By Sabina Mammadli