OpenAI’s Sora AI tool allows users to create AI-generated videos from text-based inputs.
Costfoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar is looking to reassure its investors that the richly valued artificial intelligence startup is still in a strong position and is poised to close a big funding round soon, despite losing top talent this week.
In an email to OpenAI’s investors seen by CNBC, Friar addressed the departure of Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati, who announced her departure on Wednesday. Later that day, Sam Altman said two top research executives, Bob McGrew and Barret Zoph, were also leaving.
“I wanted to personally reach out following the news of Mira’s departure from OpenAI,” Friar wrote in the letter, which was viewed by CNBC. “While leadership changes are never easy, I want to ensure you have the full context.”
Friar added that, “We are incredibly proud of everything she’s helped build,” and said the San Francisco-based company still has a “talented leadership bench” to compete.
OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft and recently partnered with Apple on its AI for iPhones, is in the midst of closing a $6.5 billion funding round, which should value the company at roughly $150 billion, according to sources familiar with the matter. Thrive Capital is leading the round, and plans to invest $1 billion, according to sources.
Friar said in the email that the funding round was oversubscribed and would close by next week. She said the team plans to host a series of calls with investors to introduce the group to key leaders from product and research teams.
“Collectively, we remain laser-focused on bringing AI to everyone and building sustainable revenue models that fuel our operations and deliver value to our investors and employees,” Friar wrote. The company is “excited for you to be with us as we enter our next chapter,” she wrote.
OpenAI declined to comment on the email.
Murati’s departure comes after six and a half years at the company. She briefly served as interim CEO last year after the board of directors abruptly fired Altman. When Altman was quickly reinstated, Murati returned to the role of CTO.
Sarah Friar has been named OpenAI CFO
Anjali Sundaram | CNBC
The company was already dealing with the loss of key executives. Co-founder John Schulman and safety chief Jan Leike left to join rival Anthropic. Co-founder Ilya Sutskever left to start another AI company , while another founder, Greg Brockman, is on a leave of absence.
Friar said Mark Chen will step into the role of of senior vice president of research, and leaders like Kevin Weil, who joined from Meta, and Srinivas Narayanan are the “right people to keep pushing the boundaries of innovation.”
Friar was formerly CEO of Nextdoor, and before that CFO at Block, formerly Square.
Also on Thursday, at an all-hands meeting, Altman denied that there are plans for him to receive a “giant equity stake” in the company, calling reports of such a development “just not true,” according to a person who was in attendance.
Altman and Friar both said at the meeting, conducted by video, that investors have raised concerns about Altman not having equity in the company that he co-founded almost nine years ago, said the person, who asked not to be named because the gathering was only for employees.
Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading. Novavax – Shares plunged more than 17% after the biotech company said the Food and Drug Administration put a clinical hold on its application for a Covid and influenza combination shot as well as a standalone flu vaccine. United Airlines – The stock soared 11% after the airline posted an earnings and revenue beat for the third quarter and guided for a strong fourth quarter. In addition, United said it is starting a $1.5 billion share buyback, its first since before the Covid pandemic. Morgan Stanley – Shares popped 7% after the bank reported quarterly results that beat Wall Street’s forecasts , boosted by higher profits from its wealth management, trading and investment banking divisions. The firm posted earnings of $1.88 per share, higher than the $1.58 expected by a LSEG analyst poll. Revenue was $15.38 billion versus the $14.41 billion consensus estimate. Cisco Systems – The technology networking stock advanced 3.3% to a 52-week high on the back of a Citi upgrade to buy from neutral. Citi said artificial intelligence can become a larger part of the business over time. Novocure – The stock rose 2.1% on the heels of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the company’s wearable treatment for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, known as Optune Lua. ASML – Shares of the semiconductor equipment maker slumped 5.8%, building on a 16% loss from Tuesday after the Dutch company mistakenly released its third-quarter earnings earlier than expected . ASML Holding cut its sales outlook for 2025, citing a slower-than-expected recovery in segments beyond AI. J.B Hunt Transport Services – Shares added 3.4% after the company posted a top and bottom line beat. J.B. Hunt posted $1.49 earnings per share on $3.07 billion of revenue in the third quarter. Analysts polled by LSEG had forecast $1.41 in earnings per share on $3.02 billion of revenue. The company said demand for its intermodal service rose throughout the quarter. Aspen Aerogels – Shares gained 11% after the company announced that it received a conditional commitment for a proposed Department of Energy loan of up to $670.6 million. Aspen Aerogels also released preliminary results for the third quarter. For the period, the company is expecting revenue of around $117 million and adjusted EBITDA of around $25 million, above the $95.1 million in revenue and $14.1 million in adjusted EBITDA that analysts polled by FactSet were expecting. Prologis – The warehouse giant rose more than 4% after posting better-than-expected quarterly results . For the third quarter, Prologis reported core funds from operations of $1.43 per diluted share, above the $1.37 estimate from FactSet. In a statement, CEO Hamid Moghadam said: “Looking ahead, the supply picture is improving, and the long-term demand drivers for our business remain strong.” U.S. Bancorp – The stock moved more than 4% higher after U.S. Bancorp’s third-quarter earnings beat estimates, posting $1.03 per share versus the 99 cents per share that analysts were expecting, per LSEG. Revenue, however, missed estimates, coming in at $6.86 billion compared to the consensus estimate of $6.9 billion. General Motors – Shares increased more than 2% on the heels of the automaker’s agreement with Lithium Americas Corp. to establish a joint venture. The deal includes General Motors giving $625 million in cash and credit to the Canadian mining business. — CNBC’s Alex Harring, Hakyung Kim, Samantha Subin, Pia Singh and Michelle Fox contributed reporting.
Check out the companies making headlines before the bell. Cisco Systems — The networking technology stock added nearly 2% on the heels of a Citi upgrade to buy from neutral. Citi said artificial intelligence can become a bigger part of the business over time. Novocure — Shares soared roughly 22% after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Novocure’s Optune Lua wearable treatment for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. Morgan Stanley — Shares gained more than 3% after the bank reported quarterly results before the bell that beat Wall Street’s forecasts, helped by higher-than-expected revenue from its wealth management, trading and investment banking operations. The firm’s earnings came in at $1.88 per share, versus the $1.58 expected by a LSEG analyst poll. Revenue was $15.38 billion versus the $14.41 billion consensus estimate. United Airlines — Shares rose about 1% after the airline beat earnings and revenue expectations for the third quarter. United also announced a $1.5 billion share buyback, its first since before the pandemic. ASML — Shares of the Dutch chip equipment firm slid 4% before the bell, adding to Tuesday’s losses after it accidently released its third-quarter results a day early . The report was disappointing as ASML cut its 2025 sales forecast, suggesting weakness in markets other than those that serve AI applications. J.B Hunt Transport Services — Shares jumped more than 7% after the company’s third-quarter results topped expectations. J.B. Hunt posted $1.49 earnings per share on $3.07 billion of revenue. Analysts polled by LSEG had forecast earnings of $1.41 per share on $3.02 billion of revenue. The company said demand for its intermodal service rose throughout the quarter. — CNBC’s Sean Conlon, Alex Harring, Sarah Min, Michelle Fox and Hakyung Kim contributed reporting.
Ted Pick, CEO Morgan Stanley, speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 18th, 2024.
Adam Galici | CNBC
Morgan Stanley topped analysts’ estimates for third quarter profit as its wealth management, trading and investment banking operations generated more revenue than expected.
Here’s what the company reported:
Earnings:$1.88 a share vs $1.58 LSEG estimate
Revenue: $15.38 billion vs. $14.41 billion estimate
Morgan Stanley had several tailwinds in its favor. The bank’s massive wealth management business was helped by high stock market values in the quarter, which inflates the management fees the bank collects.
Investment banking has rebounded after a dismal 2023, a trend that may continue as easing rates will encourage more financing and merger activity.
Finally, its Wall Street rivals have posted better-than-expected trading results, making it unlikely that the firm missed out on elevated activity.