Ex-OpenAI researcher bets big on AI infra, BTC mining stocks

Leopold Aschenbrenner, a former researcher at ChatGPT developer OpenAI, has significantly increased his investments in AI infrastructure and BTC mining companies. According to U.S. SEC filings, his public stock position grew from $5.5 billion at the end of last year to $13.67 billion by the end of March this year. His key investments include BTC mining and AI data center infrastructure firms such as IREN, Core Scientific, Riot Platforms, CleanSpark, Bitfarms, Bitdeer, and Hive Digital. The market has taken note of these companies' transition into key suppliers for the AI industry, leveraging their power, data center, and high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure. Conversely, Aschenbrenner has also established put option positions totaling $7.46 billion against Nvidia, Broadcom, Oracle, and the VanEck Semiconductor ETF.