Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI attends the annual Allen and Co. Sun Valley Media and Technology Conference at the Sun Valley Resort in Sun Valley, Idaho, U.S., on July 8, 2025.
David A. Grogan | CNBC
OpenAI has secured $8.3 billion in new capital as part of its $40 billion fundraise, according to a person familiar with the transaction.
Annual recurring revenue jumped to $13 billion, up from $10 billion in June, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential financial information, and is projected to top $20 billion by year-end.
Paid business users of ChatGPT have climbed to five million from three million just months ago, they said. The round was completed ahead of schedule and was five times oversubscribed.
The raise underscores surging investor appetite for AI platforms as competition intensifies among leading model makers.
Dragoneer Investment Group contributed $2.8 billion to the round, the person said, joining Blackstone, TPG, T. Rowe Price, Fidelity, Founders Fund, Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, Coatue, Altimeter, D1 Capital, Tiger Global, and Thrive Capital.
While Dragoneer was the largest investor in this latest tranche of funding, SoftBank remains the lead backer of the broader $40 billion fundraising effort.
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Rivals are also raising massive sums.
Anthropic, one of OpenAI’s chief competitors, is in talks to secure between $3 billion and $5 billion in new funding led by Iconiq Capital at a potential $170 billion valuation, CNBC confirmed. That follows a $3.5 billion round in March that valued the startup at $61.5 billion.
Both OpenAI and Anthropic are courting Middle Eastern capital to finance their ambitions.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei recently signaled a willingness to reverse his previous stance against Gulf sovereign wealth funds, warning in a leaked memo shared with Wired that it’s become “substantially harder to stay on the frontier” of AI development without tapping that money.
OpenAI, meanwhile, is working with Emirati firm G42 to build a massive data center in Abu Dhabi.
Is it the IONIQ 2 or 3? We are finally getting our first official look at the new Hyundai EV that will debut at next month’s Munich Motor Show. Take a look at the images below.
Hyundai offers a first look at its new EV
Rumors of a new entry-level Hyundai have been spreading like wildfire over the past few months. After a few prototypes have been spotted out in public testing, some claim it’s the IONIQ 2, while others say it will be called the IONIQ 2.
Either way, the new model is almost here, and it sounds like it could shake things up. Hyundai dropped the first official images of the new EV on Tuesday, offering a glimpse of what’s to come.
Although it’s just a teaser, the images reveal a few new design elements that will be showcased. The rear spoiler appears to be roughly the same shape and size as the updated IONIQ 6, which is likely to feature a full-length LED light bar.
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The teaser comes after several test vehicles have been spotted recently, displaying a similar, upright, more SUV-like style reminiscent of the Kia EV2 concept.
Like its other IONIQ models and the Kia EV series, Hyundai’s new concept is likely to be based on its advanced E-GMP platform. It’s expected to fill the gap between the Inster EV and Kona Electric in Hyundai’s electric car lineup.
The interior is expected to be a step up from Hyundai’s current vehicles with a new infotainment system. Powered by its advanced new Pleos OS, the system will feel more like a smartphone.
Hyundai IONIQ 2 or IONIQ 3 EV spotted testing in Europe (Source: CarSpyMedia)
Hyundai has yet to announce prices, range, and other final specs. However, since the Kona Electric starts at £34,995 ($47,000) in the UK, it will likely be priced closer to £25,000 ($33,700), like the Kia EV2.
Similar to the Kia EV3, Hyundai’s new electric car will likely be offered with 58.3 kWh and 81.4 kWh battery packs. The former provides a WLTP range of 260 miles, while the latter is rated with a range of 365 miles on a single charge.
Hyundai’s next-gen infotainment system powered by Pleos (Source: Hyundai)
The new Hyundai EV will make its global debut at the Munich Motor Show in Germany, from September 9 through September 14.
Kia’s EV3 is already the most popular retail electric vehicle in the UK through the first half of 2025. Will Hyundai match it with the new model?
Hyundai will reveal two new sets of images over the next week, so be sure to check back for the latest updates.
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The Tesla Model Y has long been a dominant force in the EV world. It is the best-selling electric vehicle in the world, and it briefly became the best-selling car globally.
But it is being seriously challenged. In China, the Model Y is already feeling the impact of Xiaomi’s YU7.
The Chinese electronic giant turned EV manufacturer compared virtually every spec and price to Tesla’s best-selling EV, and it wasn’t surprising since the YU7 compares extremely favorably to Tesla’s refreshed Model Y.
The impact of the YU7 has already been felt throughout the Chinese EV market, as many buyers are expected to wait more than a year for the vehicle due to the backlog of orders, and Xiaomi still needs to ramp up production.
Despite being only two months into the start of YU7 deliveries, the vehicle appears to already be putting pressure on the Model Y.
New insurance data shows Model Y versus YU7 deliveries over the last 3 months (via ThinkerCar):
The sheer volume of YU7 pre-orders disrupted the entire small EV SUV market in China, but it has settled back after it became clear that someone placing a new order wouldn’t get the vehicle until next year.
Nonetheless, as deliveries ramped up to over 3,000 units per week over the last two weeks, Tesla’s deliveries are going down and they are still far off their highs.
It is increasingly looking like the YU7 will have a similar impact on the Model Y as Xiaomi’s SU7 had on the Model 3.
Over the last year, the SU7, Xiaomi’s first EV, has been consistently outselling the Model 3. Earlier this month, there was hope that Model 3 was making a comeback, but it looks like it is already back to normal:
Tesla’s sales are down 6% year-to-date in China based on registration data.
Electrek’s Take
China is the most interesting EV market because it is by far the most competitive one. That’s because Chinese automakers are not penalized there like they are in other markets.
Furthermore, Tesla can’t complain since it basically got the same deal as Chinese automakers with its Gigafactory Shanghai in the free trade zone.
For the last 5 years, the American automaker enjoyed some dominance in the Chinese market, but now local companies have caught up and Xiaomi is one of the best examples.
The impact of the SU7 on Model 3 is undeniable.
It’s still early to see the impact of the YU7, but it appears to be happening already. It is also cannibalizing SU7 sales.
If this trend continues, it appears that YU7 will outsell Model Y by the end of the year – although I would expect Tesla to start cutting prices before then, likely with the new stripped-down Model Y, which should delay YU7 becoming the sales leader into next year.
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The Yangwang U9 is an EV powerhouse, packing four electric motors and a whopping 1,300 horsepower, but the new Track Edition model takes it to the next level. After reaching nearly 300 mph, BYD’s Yangwang U9 set a new global EV speed record.
BYD Yangwang U9 sets a new global EV speed record
BYD launched the U9 in February, its first electric supercar and the second vehicle under its ultra-luxury Yangwang brand.
The Yangwang U9 made an explosive debut, showcasing its dance moves, jumping capabilities, and sleek sports car design.
Earlier this month, we learned BYD was developing a new Yangwang U9 Track Edition model, packing a monstrous over 3,000 hp (2,20 kW). The standard U9 already features four advanced electric motors, providing a combined power of nearly 1,300 hp.
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The souped-up variant has already set a global record, and it’s not even out yet. BYD announced on Tuesday that a Yangwang U9 Track Edition test vehicle broke the world EV speed record after reaching a ridiculous 472.41 km/h, or about 293 mph.
BYD’s Yangwang U9 electric supercar at 2024 GoodwoodFOS (Source: Yangwang)
The achievement was certified at the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg test track in Germany, beating the old EV speed record by over 20%.
BYD said that this “marks the first time a Chinese domestic brand has achieved a world record in this field.” Not only does it mark a massive leap forward for the Chinese auto industry, but it also marks a significant milestone for electric vehicles as a whole.
The Yangwang U9 starts at 1,680,000 yuan in China, or about $233,000. That’s around half the cost of a new Ferrari SF90 Stradale or Lamborghini Aventador SVJ.
BYD’s Yangwang U9 is faster and even more affordable than most internal combustion engine (ICE) supercars. And the interior features “the smartest supercar cockpit,” BYD claims, powered by its advanced DiLink infotainment system. Which one are you taking?
You can see how fast BYD’s electric supercar really goes in its record-setting run in the video above. We should learn more about the new Yangwang U9 Track Edition model soon. Check back for the latest.
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