OpenAI is projecting a cash burn of nearly $280 billion by 2030, the Financial Times reports, citing information from a company presentation. The forecast implies deeply negative free cash flow over the coming years as the company continues major spending.
According to the reporting, OpenAI expects negative free cash flow to total about $278 billion from 2026 through the end of 2030, figures that multiple outlets summarise as close to $280 billion. The Financial Times links the trajectory to heavy investment in infrastructure and to financial pressures, including pricing constraints. Other outlets repeat the same core number and framing, focusing on the scale of the projected cash outflows rather than adding new details.
While the articles agree on the headline projection and the overall drivers, they differ mainly in wording. Some use “cash burn,” others describe “negative free cash flow,” but both refer to the same underlying expectation of sustained outflows. None of the excerpts provided include a breakdown of spending categories, funding plans, or updates to the forecast beyond the 2026–2030 period.
