OpenAI acquired TBPN, an online technology talk show that has built a following among Silicon Valley executives through interviews with industry leaders including Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft's Satya Nadella.
The acquisition marks an unexpected expansion into media for the ChatGPT maker, which has not previously indicated plans to enter the news business. OpenAI did not disclose financial terms of the deal.
TBPN will continue to run their programming, choose their guests, and make their own editorial decisions. That's foundational to their credibility, and it's something we're explicitly protecting as part of this agreement
OpenAI — company blog
The show's cofounders John Coogan and Jordi Hays will join OpenAI as part of the acquisition. TBPN launched in October 2024 and began three-hour weekday livestreams in March 2025, competing with established outlets like Bloomberg and CNBC through real-time technology news analysis.
Despite its relatively small audience of about 70,000 viewers per episode across platforms, TBPN has attracted high-profile guests and generated significant revenue. The 11-person company was profitable and earned around $5 million in advertising revenue last year, with projections to exceed $30 million in 2026.
The outlet presents the acquisition as a straightforward business move, emphasizing OpenAI's commitment to editorial independence. It focuses on the show's competitive positioning against Bloomberg and CNBC while highlighting the personal connection between the founders and Sam Altman.
CNA frames the acquisition as surprising given OpenAI's lack of previous media ambitions and recent focus shifts. The outlet contextualizes the move within broader tech industry media ventures while noting OpenAI's recent controversies over military partnerships.
The show is staying the same and we'll continue to go live at 11am pacific every weekday
John Coogan, TBPN cofounder — X
Under OpenAI ownership, TBPN will wind down its advertising business, which previously involved hosts reading commercials live and wearing racing jackets with sponsor logos. The show will report to Chris Lehane, OpenAI's chief global affairs officer, and support the company's broader communications efforts while maintaining its format.
OpenAI positioned the acquisition as part of its mission to foster constructive dialogue about artificial intelligence's impact. The company drew parallels to other tech giants' media ventures, citing Microsoft's co-creation of MSNBC and Bloomberg News's relationship with Bloomberg LP.
The move comes as OpenAI faces increased scrutiny over recent business decisions, including a controversial deal allowing the U.S. government to use its technology in classified military operations. The company has been competing intensely with Anthropic for enterprise customers while recently shelving its Sora video-generation tool to focus on AI coding tools.
For Coogan, the acquisition represents a personal milestone, as he has worked with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman for over a decade. Altman funded Coogan's first company in 2013 and was among the first technology leaders to appear on TBPN after its launch.