OpenAI Foundation Could Become the World’s Wealthiest Philanthropic Organization

With the foundation holding 26% of OpenAI’s stock, the OpenAI Foundation is on track to become the richest philanthropic organization in the world. Its equity could eventually be worth as much as $250 billion.

For comparison, the Gates Foundation and its associated trusts held approximately $180 billion at the end of 2025.

OpenAI Foundation Expands Its Grantmaking

Putting that level of wealth to work will be a major challenge. The San Francisco-based foundation is still recruiting for many important roles, while also expanding its grantmaking efforts.

Since the beginning of this year, the foundation has increased the amount of funding it distributes. Its largest single gift so far—$100 million—was awarded in August to the Common Health Federation, an organization that helps patients gain access to hepatitis C treatments.

Philanthropy Amid Growing AI Safety Fears

OpenAI’s philanthropic efforts come as concerns grow about the possibility of artificial intelligence causing catastrophic harm. Some observers fear AI could end all human life, potentially by enabling the creation of a deadly biological weapon.

Those concerns have also been voiced by AI company insiders. Some have said there is a 10% or greater chance that humans could become extinct within the next decade.

Last week, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and xAI founder Elon Musk endorsed Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s call to “slow down the pace of improving the capabilities of AI models” until safeguards can keep up with the risks.

Foundation Says It Operates Independently

Jacob Trefethen, the foundation’s executive director, said the organization operates primarily independently from OpenAI while sharing the company’s stated mission that artificial intelligence “benefits all humanity.”

“We are beginning our grantmaking efforts because we believe the best way to accomplish that mission is to make grants to outside nonprofits, research institutions, and other third parties,” Trefethen said in an interview.

The foundation hopes to distribute $1 billion by the end of the year.

Grant to 1Day Sooner Will Support Corporate Data Access

A $500,000 grant to 1Day Sooner will help the organization demonstrate that it can access a large collection of data from bankrupt companies, according to Josh Morrison, the group’s president and co-founder.

Morrison believes non-proprietary copies of corporate datasets could be obtained for as little as “tens of thousands of dollars” each.