OpenAI faces a critical deadline to complete its transition to a for-profit company by the end of 2025 to secure its full $40 billion funding from SoftBank. Sources indicate that if the Microsoft-backed AI leader fails to restructure within this timeframe, SoftBank could reduce the investment to $20 billion. This accelerated timeline shortens OpenAI's previous two-year transition window, with the company stating the shift is necessary to obtain capital for developing advanced AI models.