Stripe buys AI startup OpenRouter for over $7 billion

Payment company Stripe has agreed to buy AI startup OpenRouter for over $7 billion. OpenRouter gives users access to more than 400 AI models through one platform, so they can pick the best one for their needs and avoid being stuck with a single provider. It has 8 million users worldwide.

OpenRouter raised $113 million in May at a $1.3 billion valuation, backed by Sequoia and others. The deal is more than five times that valuation, making it one of the biggest AI infrastructure acquisitions in recent years. Once complete, Stripe will strengthen its position in the AI space.