OpenAI payment to Microsoft revealed in leaked documents

OpenAI has paid Microsoft nearly half a billion dollars in 2024 as part of its revenue-sharing agreement, according to leaked documents reviewed by tech blogger Ed Zitron.

According to the filings, Microsoft received about $493.8 million that year, a figure that surged to $865.8 million in just the first three quarters of 2025.

The payments stem from a deal in which OpenAI reportedly gives Microsoft 20% of its revenue in return for massive investment and cloud support.

However, the arrangement goes both ways. Notably, Microsoft also shares revenue with OpenAI from Bing and Azure OpenAI Service, which use the company’s AI models.

The leaked numbers reflect only Microsoft’s net revenue share and exclude the money it sends back to OpenAI.

The documents also highlight the soaring costs of running advanced AI systems. Zitron’s analysis suggested OpenAI spent billions on compute, much of it through Azure, raising questions about whether the company’s revenue can keep pace with its expenses.

As scrutiny intensifies, the leaked figures show how deeply OpenAI and Microsoft remain financially intertwined , a relationship that will continue shaping the future of both companies.