PANews reported on May 11th, citing the Wall Street Journal, that in its recent funding round, OpenAI allowed each employee to sell up to $30 million worth of shares, making them among the earliest wealth winners in the artificial intelligence boom. Last October, over 600 current and former employees sold their shares, cashing out a total of $6.6 billion. According to sources, approximately 75 of them sold all of their shares, reaching the full $30 million limit. Some chose to donate their remaining shares to "donor-advised funds," a type of charitable investment account that allows funds to be used for philanthropic purposes while also providing donors with tax breaks for the year.

This share sale offers investors a glimpse into the massive influx of capital about to flood into San Francisco and other tech hubs. OpenAI and Anthropic are preparing for a potential IPO, which could very well be one of the largest in history. Thousands of ordinary employees at both companies will be able to sell their shares, many of whom will become millionaires.