OpenAI has struck a massive deal with chip startup Cerebras worth more than $20 billion over three years, according to reports from The Information and Reuters. The agreement will see OpenAI use Cerebras-powered servers for AI inference, potentially receiving an equity stake in return—a rare move for theChatGPT maker to diversify its compute infrastructure away from Nvidia.
The deal signals OpenAI’s push to reduce reliance on Nvidia GPUs, which currently dominate the AI training and inference market. Cerebras, known for its wafer-scale engine technology, offers an alternative approach to AI compute that could help OpenAI manage escalating infrastructure costs as model sizes continue to grow.
Cerebras is also reportedly planning a $3 billion offering next month at a valuation around $35 billion, with an IPO targeting a valuation of $22-25 billion. The OpenAI deal could provide significant momentum for the chip startup’s public market debut.
This comes amid a broader wave of AI infrastructure spending. TSMC recently reported a 58% profit increase driven by AI chip demand, while the chip sector continues to see unprecedented investment across the value chain.