In October, AI-related startups raised $12.2 billion in funding, accounting for 38% of global venture capital for the month. This marks the second-strongest month for AI fundraising in history, just behind May's $12.8 billion.
OpenAI led the way with a significant $6.6 billion raise, bringing its post-money valuation to $157 billion. Even without this major contribution, AI startups still secured over $6.6 billion in October, a notable increase compared to the combined $8.7 billion raised in August and September.
October also featured 11 funding rounds of $100 million or more, indicating a trend towards larger investments in the sector. The total amount raised in October surpassed September's nearly $4.3 billion, despite a decrease in the number of funding rounds from 522 in September to 413 in October.
This uptick in funding suggests that the recent lull in AI investment was temporary, as the sector continues to attract significant venture capital interest.