How Much OpenAI Pays Microsoft? TechCrunch Report

2025-11-16

The relationship between OpenAI and Microsoft has always been closely watched, but new leaked documents have brought that partnership into sharper focus. As interest in artificial intelligence reaches new levels, the latest OpenAI news shows that financial scrutiny around the company is intensifying.

A recent TechCrunch report highlights how much OpenAI pays Microsoft and what these figures suggest about the economics behind one of the most influential AI companies in the world.

The findings give the public a clearer picture of how much money moves between OpenAI and Microsoft as both companies try to keep up with growing demand for advanced AI systems.

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Leaked Documents Reveal OpenAI’s Payments to Microsoft

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Tech blogger Ed Zitron obtained internal documents that offer a rare glimpse into OpenAI’s financial activity.

According to his findings, Microsoft received about $493.8 million in revenue share payments from OpenAI in 2024. In the first three quarters of 2025, that number rose significantly to $865.8 million.

The documents suggest that OpenAI shares about 20 percent of its revenue with Microsoft under an arrangement connected to Microsoft’s investment of more than $13 billion in the company.

Although neither side has publicly confirmed this percentage, it has been widely reported across several outlets covering OpenAI news.

The financial exchange between the two firms is not one sided. A source familiar with the matter told TechCrunch that Microsoft also shares about 20 percent of its revenue from Bing and Azure OpenAI Service with OpenAI.

Bing is powered by OpenAI models, and Azure OpenAI Service sells access to those models to businesses and developers. This means that both companies receive royalties from each other under the terms of their partnership.

Understanding Microsoft’s Net Revenue Share

The TechCrunch source added an important clarification. The leaked numbers represent Microsoft’s net revenue share rather than the gross total. This means they do not include the amount Microsoft pays OpenAI from Bing and Azure OpenAI royalties.

Those payments are deducted before Microsoft reports its revenue share internally, making the real exchange larger than the leaked documents suggest.

Microsoft does not disclose how much revenue Bing or Azure OpenAI generate in its public financial statements. As a result, it is difficult to calculate how much money flows from Microsoft back to OpenAI.

Even so, the leaked figures provide a valuable look into how much OpenAI pays Microsoft and how this arrangement supports their long standing partnership.

What the Numbers Suggest About OpenAI’s Revenue

Based on the estimated 20 percent revenue share, analysts estimate that OpenAI earned at least $2.5 billion in 2024 and about $4.33 billion during the first three quarters of 2025. However, the true figures are likely higher.

The Information previously reported that OpenAI made around $4 billion in 2024 revenue and about $4.3 billion in the first half of 2025.

Sam Altman has also commented on revenue expectations. He recently said that OpenAI’s annualized revenue run rate will end the year above $20 billion.

He also noted that the company could reach as much as $100 billion by 2027. These statements reflect projections rather than confirmed revenue totals.

Rising Compute Costs and Expanding Infrastructure

While revenue is increasing, TechCrunch reports that OpenAI’s compute costs are also rising at a rapid pace. Zitron estimated that OpenAI spent roughly $3.8 billion on inference in 2024.

Inference refers to the compute used to run an already trained model to generate answers for users. In the first nine months of 2025, inference spending grew to about $8.65 billion.

OpenAI has relied heavily on Microsoft Azure for compute capacity. This dependence explains a large part of the financial relationship between OpenAI and Microsoft. However, OpenAI has begun diversifying its infrastructure.

It has also signed agreements with CoreWeave, Oracle, AWS, and Google Cloud. These partnerships show that OpenAI is expanding its cloud footprint as demand for its tools continues to climb.

Previous reports estimated that OpenAI’s full compute spend reached $5.6 billion in 2024 and its cost of revenue was about $2.5 billion in the first half of 2025.

A source told TechCrunch that most training costs are not paid in cash because they are covered by compute credits that Microsoft provided as part of its investment. Inference spending, on the other hand, is largely cash based, which increases financial pressure as usage rises.

Could OpenAI Be Spending More Than It Earns?

The leaked documents raise questions about OpenAI’s long term financial balance. If the reported numbers are accurate, OpenAI may be spending more on inference than it is earning in revenue. This is a significant concern as demand for AI technology grows around the world.

These findings feed into ongoing discussions in the industry about whether an AI bubble is forming. If a company as influential as OpenAI is still operating with high costs relative to revenue, it could affect investor expectations and valuations across the broader AI sector.

Both OpenAI and Microsoft declined to comment on the leaked documents, leaving the public to rely on the available information and independent analysis.

FAQ

How much did OpenAI pay Microsoft in 2024?

According to leaked documents, OpenAI paid Microsoft about $493.8 million in revenue share during 2024.

How much did OpenAI pay Microsoft in 2025

In the first three quarters of 2025, OpenAI reportedly paid Microsoft around $865.8 million.

What percentage of revenue does OpenAI share with Microsoft?

Reports suggest OpenAI shares about 20 percent of its revenue with Microsoft, although neither company has confirmed this publicly.

Does Microsoft also pay OpenAI?

Yes. Microsoft reportedly gives OpenAI about 20 percent of its revenue from Bing and Azure OpenAI Service.

Why are OpenAI’s compute costs so high?

Inference requires large amounts of computing power, and OpenAI’s models are used at massive scale. This leads to high cloud expenses, especially as usage increases.