Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the real question is whether artificial intelligence (AI) is driving measurable economic output when he was asked about OpenAI’s recent $110 billion fundraise.
“It is an all-up in the economy that benefits from new general purpose technologies lifting all boats when it comes to productivity and this is happening. There is a broadening of the supply side of it. On the demand side, as it gets used it is going to create surplus, and there should be and will be GDP growth. That’s the real test of any of this.” (sic)
Last week, OpenAI raised $110 billion in a new funding round, at a pre-money valuation of $730 billion. The funding round was led by Amazon, with Nvidia and SoftBank joining the round.
Visiting Munich for an AI tour, Nadella spoke about German innovations, engineers, the AI bubble, job disruption, and more on the OMR podcast.
On the AI bubble
To Nadella, debates about an AI bubble miss the point if they ignore what’s happening on the ground.
“At the end of the day, there is only one thing that matters, which isn't about talking endlessly about the technology; it's about seeing that technology in the real world having real impact. To me, a bubble is a bubble if you don't have examples of AI diffusion,” he said.
Partnership continues
Earlier this month, Microsoft and OpenAI moved to calm speculation that OpenAI’s mega funding round could disrupt their partnership, saying in a joint statement that new partnerships with Amazon, Nvidia, and SoftBank do not alter the structure or terms of their existing alliance as outlined in their October 2025 update.
Despite the investment by Amazon, OpenAI has maintained that Microsoft will remain its longtime partner and a major shareholder. Microsoft, however, did not participate in this round.
“It is an all-up in the economy that benefits from new general purpose technologies lifting all boats when it comes to productivity and this is happening. There is a broadening of the supply side of it. On the demand side, as it gets used it is going to create surplus, and there should be and will be GDP growth. That’s the real test of any of this.” (sic)
Last week, OpenAI raised $110 billion in a new funding round, at a pre-money valuation of $730 billion. The funding round was led by Amazon, with Nvidia and SoftBank joining the round.
Visiting Munich for an AI tour, Nadella spoke about German innovations, engineers, the AI bubble, job disruption, and more on the OMR podcast.
On the AI bubble
To Nadella, debates about an AI bubble miss the point if they ignore what’s happening on the ground.
“At the end of the day, there is only one thing that matters, which isn't about talking endlessly about the technology; it's about seeing that technology in the real world having real impact. To me, a bubble is a bubble if you don't have examples of AI diffusion,” he said.
Partnership continues
Earlier this month, Microsoft and OpenAI moved to calm speculation that OpenAI’s mega funding round could disrupt their partnership, saying in a joint statement that new partnerships with Amazon, Nvidia, and SoftBank do not alter the structure or terms of their existing alliance as outlined in their October 2025 update.
Despite the investment by Amazon, OpenAI has maintained that Microsoft will remain its longtime partner and a major shareholder. Microsoft, however, did not participate in this round.
