The Japanese tech investment company is starting a tender offer to buy shares worth $1.5 billion in OpenAI from employees of the startup, a person familiar with the matter said.

OpenAI employees will have the option of cashing out of their shares worth around $1.5B in a tender offer to SoftBank (OTCPK:SFTBY), two people familiar with the matter told CNBC. Employees have till December 24 to decide on participating in the tender offer,

(Reuters) -ChatGPT-owner OpenAI is allowing its employees to sell roughly $1.5 billion worth of shares in a new tender offer to Japan's SoftBank Group, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday.