OpenAI has agreed to acquire Neptune, a startup specializing in tools that enable companies to monitor and manage AI model training processes, the company announced on Wednesday.
Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed by OpenAI. According to a report by The Information, which cited sources familiar with the matter, the deal is valued at less than $400 million and will be paid in stock. OpenAI declined to comment when contacted regarding the reported amount.
OpenAI, led by CEO Sam Altman, is already a user of Neptune's platform and relies on it to track and troubleshoot the training of its GPT series of large language models. Other companies using Neptune's services include Samsung, Roche, and HP.
Neptune originated as an internal project at Deepsense before becoming an independent company in 2018. The startup has raised over $18 million in funding, as stated on its website.
In October, OpenAI achieved a valuation of $500 billion after existing and former employees sold approximately $6.6 billion in shares through a tender offer. The Microsoft-backed company is reportedly preparing the groundwork for a possible future initial public offering that could value it as high as $1 trillion, with potential regulatory filings as early as the second half of 2026, according to earlier Reuters reporting.
However, OpenAI Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar stated in November that a public listing is not part of the company's immediate plans.
The acquisition of Neptune follows OpenAI's recent move to take a stake in Thrive Holdings, reflecting its broader strategy to integrate artificial intelligence into established sectors such as accounting and IT services.
By bringing Neptune in-house, OpenAI aims to further strengthen its infrastructure for developing and managing advanced AI models. The deal underscores the growing importance of specialized tools that provide visibility and control over the increasingly complex and resource-intensive process of training large-scale artificial intelligence systems.
