OpenAI is significantly expanding its presence in the Seattle region through the acquisition of Statsig, a product development platform, for $1.1 billion in an all-stock deal. This move not only bolsters OpenAI's technical capabilities but also reinforces Seattle's status as a major hub for artificial intelligence innovation.

The acquisition appears to be as much about acquiring Statsig's technology as it is about bringing its founder and CEO, Vijaye Raji, into OpenAI's leadership team. Raji, a former Facebook engineering leader, will assume the newly created role of CTO of Applications at OpenAI. In this position, he will be responsible for product engineering across ChatGPT, Codex, and OpenAI's core application infrastructure, including infrastructure and integrity. He will report to Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications.

Statsig builds tools that help software developers test and flag new features. Its platform focuses on A/B testing, feature flagging, and feedback loops that move products into production. Companies such as Atlassian, Notion, Brex, and Bloomberg use Statsig to bring software to market faster and more reliably. OpenAI itself is also a customer. By integrating Statsig's platform, OpenAI aims to scale experimentation, accelerate product development cycles, and ensure its applications evolve in step with user needs.

The deal requires regulatory approval. Once finalized, Statsig will continue to operate independently from its Seattle-area office, serving its existing customers. Statsig's employee base will transition to OpenAI, with all employees expected to have the option to join OpenAI.

The acquisition of Statsig reflects OpenAI's broader strategy of investing heavily in expanding its services. In recent months, OpenAI has made several high-profile announcements, including the acquisition of Io Products, the startup founded by former Apple designer Jony Ive. The company is also expanding its presence in Asia, with the launch of an office in Seoul, Korea. In addition, OpenAI is reportedly looking to close a tender offer round to employee liquidity at a $500 billion valuation.

OpenAI's deepened presence in the Seattle area aligns with its strategy to tap into the region's robust engineering talent pool. Seattle is a major AI hub, home to the headquarters of Microsoft and Amazon, as well as large outposts for Meta, Google, and other Silicon Valley giants.

OpenAI has had a presence in the Seattle area since opening an office in Bellevue, Washington in October 2024. The company has around 169 employees in the region, according to LinkedIn. OpenAI also has offices in San Francisco, New York City, London, Paris, Brussels, Singapore, Dublin and Tokyo.

The acquisition of Statsig comes as OpenAI experiences rapid growth. Bolstered by ChatGPT, OpenAI doubled its revenue in the first seven months of 2025, reaching an annualized run rate of $12 billion. The company projects it will reach $20 billion by the end of the year.