Is this more of an accounting thing?

Is there some (tax?) efficiency where OpenAI could take money from another source, then pay it to Nvidia, and receive GPUs. But instead taking investment from Nvidia acts as a discount in some way.

(In addition to Nvidia being realistically the efficient/sole supplier of an input OpenAI currently needs. So this gives

  1. Nvidia an incentive to prioritize OpenAI and induces a win/win pricing component on Nvidia's GPU profit margin so OpenAI can bet on more GPUs now

  2. OpenAI some hedge on GPU pricing's effect on their valuations as the cost/margin fluctuates with new entrants

It sounds like Nvidia has so much cash already that they would prefer to own x% of OpenAI instead.