OpenAI staff and former employees were among the early beneficiaries of the AI industry’s rapid growth after hundreds of workers sold company shares in a major private transaction during October 2025.
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, more than 600 current and former OpenAI employees participated in the deal, which was valued at approximately $6.6 billion. Around 75 individuals reportedly sold shares up to the maximum allowed limit of $30 million each, while the average payout across participants was estimated at roughly $11 million.
The transaction followed nearly two years of waiting for many employees who held equity in the artificial intelligence company. OpenAI had previously restricted share sales to $10 million per employee, but later increased the cap to $30 million as investor interest in the company continued to surge.
The report noted that the sale gave many employees — especially those who joined after the launch of ChatGPT — an opportunity to convert privately held equity into cash ahead of any potential public offering. The exact breakdown of proceeds among employees has not been officially disclosed by OpenAI.
The large-scale transaction also reflected growing investor demand for exposure to OpenAI, as interest in artificial intelligence companies continues expanding across both private and public markets.
