Financial Maneuver: OpenAI Caps Microsoft Payouts at $38B Amid Debt Concerns

The creators of ChatGPT are aggressively restructuring their balance sheet. On May 12, 2026, it was revealed that OpenAI and Microsoft agreed to strictly cap future revenue-sharing at $38 billion.

This move must be viewed in a broader macroeconomic context. Ahead of quarterly reports, investors are closely watching SoftBank’s credit line for OpenAI (which was recently slashed to $6 billion). To offset infrastructural losses and missed operational KPIs, Sam Altman’s company is bringing in consulting giant Capgemini: the latter has invested in a dedicated "OpenAI Deployment Company" unit to accelerate LLM adoption in the corporate sector. By setting a payout ceiling for Microsoft, OpenAI is signaling Wall Street: the company intends to capture 100% of future margins from AGI products, paving the way for a historic IPO and aggressive B2B monetization.

Source: Reuters / Axios / Bloomberg