OpenAI’s hunger for computing power has Altman globetrotting

time. Shortly after that trip, TSMC Chief Executive C.C. Wei said Altman was "too aggressive for me to believe.

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This time around, he is getting more support.

A wave of renewed confidence in OpenAI came from its blockbuster deal with Nvidia, in which the chip giant agreed to lease up to five million of its AI chips to the ChatGPT maker over time and invest up to $100 billion to make it happen. The announcement helped bolster Altman's vision for computing power and lifted the stocks of chip suppliers across the world.

About three years after it launched the AI chatbot, OpenAI is now valued at $500 billion, on par with global corporate companies such as Netflix and Exxon Mobil.

In the past few days, Altman has rubbed shoulders with tech leaders from Samsung and SK Hynix, as well as the Japanese electronics and industrial company Hitachi. Announcements of their partnerships boosted shares of the three companies, following the same pattern that unfolded with U.S. dealmaking.