OpenAI Paid $100 for a 4.2% Cerebras Stake Weeks Before Ultrafast Launch

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OpenAI Paid $100 for a 4.2% Cerebras Stake Weeks Before Ultrafast Launch

AI infrastructurestartup Implicator

OpenAI bought a $2.3 billion stake in Cerebras for just $100 weeks before launching its 'Ultrafast' service tier powered by Cerebras chips.

What: OpenAI acquired 10,033,508 Class N shares of Cerebras at $0.00001 per share shortly before previewing 'Ultrafast,' a high-speed model tier reaching 750 tokens per second. Cerebras now powers all of OpenAI's high-performance speed offerings.

Why it matters: This reveals how AI labs use equity deals to secure proprietary access to specialized hardware, effectively outsourcing their infrastructure layer to avoid building or buying costly silicon in-house.

Decoder

Warrant: A contract allowing the holder to purchase company stock at a fixed price.

Original article

Days before OpenAI previewed Ultrafast, a service tier that can run GPT-5.6 Sol at up to 750 output tokens a second, OpenAI exercised every vested Cerebras warrant share, acquiring 10,033,508 Class N shares at $0.00001 each for about $100 in cash. The stake has an implied value of near $2.3 billion, though the shares carry no votes. Cerebras is now running every competitive speed offering at OpenAI. OpenAI has yet to publish price, model ID, or general-availability date for Ultrafast.

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