this post was submitted on 23 Mar 2026
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TechTakes

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Big brain tech dude got yet another clueless take over at HackerNews etc? Here's the place to vent. Orange site, VC foolishness, all welcome.

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Article: https://www.reuters.com/business/openai-sweetens-private-equity-pitch-amid-enterprise-turf-war-with-anthropic-2026-03-23/

Crossposted from: https://hexbear.net/post/8036692

I promise we're good for it guys!

I'm absolutely amazed that Altman isn't considered toxic waste by now financially. He was declared untrustworthy by his own board, and as far as I'm aware OpenAI has fallen short of every known business agreement so far. They have so many deals contingent on shit they haven't delivered and can't deliver that it should make any risk analyst's head spin.

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[–] CinnasVerses@awful.systems 23 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

The subtext sounds like "we guarantee your returns, then go public. If we go bankrupt you get the retail investors' money, if we become the next Google you get your own private island." All you have to do is trust Sam Altman and (breaks out in hysterical laughter).

Do they mean 17.5% a year? My balanced bond-equity portfolio made 14-15% annual returns over the past three years by the radical method of buying "shares of companies that make profits" and "bonds backed by my local and national government."

[–] cstross@wandering.shop 2 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

@CinnasVerses @techtakes

This kind of ROI to me stinks of late-stages Ponzi scheme—the smart money has made its pile, but they need to keep pulling in the rubes to keep the illusion of growth running.

[–] CinnasVerses@awful.systems 1 points 4 hours ago

Yes, promising "returns like a good year on the stock market, but no risk" usually says Ponzi.

When the forensic accountants go through OpenAI's books in 2027 or 2028 I would like to see whether anyone but staff and suppliers made money from it.

[–] Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works 5 points 15 hours ago

the radical method of buying "shares of companies that make profits"

That's OpenAI out then