OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and Oracle have publicly dismissed reports of tension surrounding Nvidia’s planned multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI, pushing back against speculation that threatened to undermine confidence in the AI startup’s ambitious expansion plans.
The controversy erupted after Nvidia disclosed plans in September to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI, a deal that would give the chipmaker a stake in the AI startup while providing OpenAI with crucial computing power for training and running its models. However, recent reports suggested friction between the parties. The Wall Street Journal reported that some Nvidia executives had raised internal concerns about the deal, while Reuters claimed OpenAI had been dissatisfied with some of Nvidia’s newer AI chips and explored alternatives since last year.
Altman took to X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday to refute the rumors, stating: “We love working with NVIDIA and they make the best AI chips in the world. We hope to be a gigantic customer for a very long time. I don’t get where all this insanity is coming from.” His comments came amid growing scrutiny of OpenAI’s massive spending commitments and ability to raise sufficient capital.
Jensen Huang was equally emphatic in his support, telling reporters in Taipei that suggestions of unhappiness with OpenAI were “nonsense.” He praised OpenAI as “one of the most consequential companies of our time” and reaffirmed Nvidia’s commitment: “We will invest a great deal of money, probably the largest investment we’ve ever made.” In a subsequent CNBC “Mad Money” interview, Huang told host Jim Cramer there was “no controversy at all” and confirmed Nvidia would participate in OpenAI’s upcoming funding rounds.
Oracle also weighed in, stating that “The NVIDIA-OpenAI deal has zero impact on our financial relationship with OpenAI.” The software giant has its own multi-year deal with OpenAI worth $300 billion in computing power purchases, making it heavily invested in the startup’s success.
The public reassurances highlight growing investor scrutiny of OpenAI’s trillion-dollar-plus compute commitments. Notable skeptics include “Big Short” investor Michael Burry, who questioned whether a still-private company can realistically finance such massive spending. This skepticism has already affected share prices of companies exposed to OpenAI’s expansion, including Oracle. Altman himself expressed frustration in November, saying he’s had “enough” of justifying OpenAI’s spending plans.
Key Quotes
We love working with NVIDIA and they make the best AI chips in the world. We hope to be a gigantic customer for a very long time. I don’t get where all this insanity is coming from.
Sam Altman posted this statement on X (formerly Twitter) to directly refute reports of tension between OpenAI and Nvidia, emphasizing the strong partnership and dismissing speculation as unfounded.
I believe in OpenAI. The work that they do is incredible. OpenAI is one of the most consequential companies of our time.
Jensen Huang made this statement to reporters in Taipei, reinforcing Nvidia’s commitment to OpenAI despite rumors of internal concerns at Nvidia about the investment deal.
We will invest a great deal of money, probably the largest investment we’ve ever made.
Huang’s comment underscores the scale of Nvidia’s planned investment in OpenAI, positioning it as the chipmaker’s biggest investment ever and signaling strong confidence in the AI startup’s future.
If you want to sell your shares, I’ll find you a buyer.
Altman made this pointed remark in a November podcast when discussing investor skepticism about OpenAI’s spending commitments, showing his frustration with having to repeatedly justify the company’s financial strategy.
Our Take
The coordinated pushback from Altman, Huang, and Oracle reveals an uncomfortable truth about the AI industry: the financial interdependencies are so massive that even rumors can threaten market confidence. When a single AI startup has spending commitments exceeding a trillion dollars, its financial health becomes a systemic concern for the entire ecosystem.
What’s particularly notable is the speed and force of the response. These aren’t typical corporate denials—they’re emphatic reassurances from the highest levels, suggesting real concern about market perception. The fact that Oracle felt compelled to address its $300 billion deal shows how OpenAI’s gravitational pull affects the entire AI infrastructure stack.
This episode also highlights a fundamental tension in AI development: the capital requirements have become so enormous that they’re testing traditional venture funding models. Altman’s frustration about justifying spending is understandable, but investor skepticism is rational given the unprecedented scale. The AI industry is entering uncharted financial territory.
Why This Matters
This public display of unity between OpenAI, Nvidia, and Oracle reveals the high stakes surrounding OpenAI’s unprecedented infrastructure spending and its ripple effects across the AI ecosystem. The fact that three major players felt compelled to publicly address rumors underscores how closely the market is watching OpenAI’s financial health and ability to deliver on commitments worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
The tension reflects broader questions about AI economics: Can even the most successful AI startups sustain the massive capital requirements needed to compete at the frontier of AI development? OpenAI’s spending commitments dwarf typical startup expenditures, raising legitimate questions about financial sustainability that have already impacted public market valuations of its partners.
For the AI industry, this episode demonstrates the interconnected nature of the AI supply chain, where uncertainty about one player’s finances can quickly spread to chip manufacturers, cloud providers, and infrastructure companies. As AI models grow larger and more compute-intensive, these relationships and the capital flows supporting them will become increasingly critical to the industry’s trajectory. The swift, coordinated response suggests all parties recognize that maintaining confidence in OpenAI’s financial stability is essential to preserving the broader AI infrastructure investment thesis.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-jensen-huang-oracle-tension-billion-dollar-deal-2026-2