05:47 AM EDT, 08/18/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Microsoft ( MSFT )-backed (MSFT) OpenAI's current and former employees plan to sell around $6 billion worth of shares to an investor group that includes Thrive Capital, SoftBank, and Dragoneer Investment in a deal that values the company at $500 billion, news outlets reported late Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Negotiations are preliminary and the size of the deal could change, Bloomberg reported, citing the people.

The secondary share acquisition is on top of SoftBank's commitment to lead OpenAI's $40 billion ongoing funding round valuing the company at $300 billion, Bloomberg reported, citing another person familiar with the deal.

OpenAI, Thrive Capital, SoftBank, and Dragoneer Investment did not immediately reply to MT Newswires' requests for comment.

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