Gabe Newell donated $20 million to OpenAI, according to court documents

A lawsuit document reveals that Valve's Gabe Newell donated $20,008,279 to OpenAI in 2018, linking gaming to AI.

Summary of the revelation

Documents from a lawsuit between Elon Musk and OpenAI reveal that Gabe Newell, CEO of Valve, supported OpenAI with an eight-figure donation during the company's formative years.

The records detail that Newell handed over exactly $20,008,279 in 2018, becoming the second-largest donor outside of Musk in the period between 2016 and 2020.

Connections to OpenAI beyond money

Beyond the financial contribution, the papers show that Newell held a position on an informal advisory board, guiding leaders like Altman and Brockman without formally sitting on the board.

AI and gaming: an initial partnership

At the time, OpenAI was testing systems in games like Dota 2, with teams concerned about the speed of reaching milestones. The exchanges indicate how the gaming ecosystem played an important role in the initial development of AI.

Interest in brain-machine interfaces

Newell maintains an interest in neurotechnology, having been in contact with Musk and launching Starfish Neuroscience. A document identified as Exhibit No. 844 contains an email from Newell to Musk from 2018, in which he admits to seeing the potential of brain modulation as a consumer market and seeks contacts at Neuralink.

Connections with Merge Labs

Recently, Newell supported Merge Labs, which lists OpenAI as a research partner, suggesting cooperation between AI and the gaming technology ecosystem.

Kojima, SpaceX and a network of influences

A curious detail involves game designer Hideo Kojima. In 2018, Kojima visited Valve and Newell helped organize a tour of SpaceX and an introduction to OpenAI for Kojima, highlighting the proximity between game creators, space exploration, and AI.

Newell's vision for the future of AI

Despite legal disputes, Newell remains confident in the future of machine learning. In a 2025 interview, he compared the AI boom to the arrival of the internet or the desktop computer, describing AI as an advancement tool for those who know how to use it, regardless of their career.

Connections between gaming, neurotechnology, and AI appear to be part of the same market trend according to the analyzed records.

What is your opinion on this high-level sponsorship for AI? Do you believe such sponsorships influence AI's strategic decisions or merely accelerate technological advancements? Leave your comment below with your view.

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