OpenAI takes equity stake in Thrive Holdings to push AI into accounting and IT services

OpenAI has taken an ownership stake in Thrive Holdings, a private‑equity style holding company created by major OpenAI investor Thrive Capital, as part of a partnership to modernize accounting and IT services firms with generative AI. Under the deal, OpenAI will embed research, product and engineering teams inside Thrive portfolio companies and use its models on company‑specific data, highlighting a trend toward "circular" AI deals where model providers become equity partners in downstream service businesses.