Microsoft(US:MSFT) 量子位·2025-10-31 06:27Core Viewpoint - OpenAI reported a significant loss of $11.5 billion in the last quarter, which was disclosed by Microsoft, its largest investor, indicating potential financial instability despite the company's high valuation expectations for an IPO [1][22]. Group 1: Financial Performance - Microsoft reported a net profit of $27.747 billion for Q3 2025, a 12% increase year-over-year, but faced a $3.1 billion reduction in net income due to losses from its investment in OpenAI [6][8]. - The losses from OpenAI investments accounted for a $31 billion impact on Microsoft's financials, affecting earnings per share by $0.41 [8][9]. - OpenAI's revenue for the first seven months of the year reportedly doubled, reaching an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of $12 billion, suggesting that the company is generating substantial income despite the reported losses [26][27]. Group 2: Accounting Methodology - Microsoft uses the equity method for accounting its investment in OpenAI, meaning that the company's financial performance directly affects Microsoft's income statement [11][15]. - Under this method, Microsoft cannot adjust the book value of its investment based on market valuations, which means that OpenAI's operational performance is crucial for Microsoft's financial results [13][14]. Group 3: Industry Context - The AI industry is facing a "prisoner's dilemma," where companies like OpenAI must continuously invest in R&D to maintain their competitive edge against open-source models [24][35]. - OpenAI's significant losses are primarily attributed to high R&D expenditures, which are necessary to ensure its models remain state-of-the-art [30][32]. - The competitive landscape has shifted from merely developing the best models to sustaining operations while managing high costs, indicating a change in the rules of the AI game [49]. Group 4: Strategic Implications - Microsoft is more focused on ensuring that OpenAI remains a leader in AI technology rather than on immediate profitability, viewing its investment as a strategic subsidy [45][42]. - OpenAI's operational costs, including substantial cloud service purchases from Microsoft Azure, indicate a symbiotic relationship where losses may ultimately benefit Microsoft [48][47]. - The ongoing financial dynamics suggest that as OpenAI incurs losses, companies like NVIDIA may benefit from the increased demand for AI infrastructure and services [50][51].