According to the Wall Street Journal, Altman has been in talks across East Asia and is preparing to extend his efforts to the Middle East in a bid to strengthen OpenAI’s AI chip supply chain and attract new financial backing. These discussions center on increasing AI chip production and securing priority manufacturing orders for OpenAI, ensuring the company has reliable access to the computing hardware essential for scaling advanced AI models. Industry sources revealed that Altman urged these chipmakers to ramp up output and prioritize OpenAI’s orders, as the company’s infrastructure needs continue to surge. Altman’s global tour also includes plans to meet investors in the United Arab Emirates to raise funds for OpenAI’s infrastructure expansion and AI research initiatives. Neither Microsoft, OpenAI’s largest partner, nor the chip suppliers involved have issued official comments regarding the reported talks.