Stripe says the "singularity" began eight months ago, makes $7.5 billion AI bet

[midian182]

WTF?! With the advent of AI, there's been a lot of talk about the singularity, which, in the context of technology, is a point in time when artificial intelligence becomes smarter than humans, resulting in changes so rapid we can't predict or control them. According to Stripe, the singularity actually occurred eight months ago, though given that we're not currently worshiping our machine overlords, it's presumably using another definition of the term.

Stripe told investors on Wednesday that January 1, 2026, was an important day as it marked the "beginning of the singularity." That's not the sort of claim you'd expect a company to make, especially a digital payments processor.

"It's a fuzzy and perhaps already overworked term, but we decided that January 1st marked the beginning of the singularity, and we have since been operating on that basis," Stripe wrote in a letter that was obtained by Axios.

Stripe's definition of the singularity apparently refers to a major inflection point in long-term trends, something it says is evidenced by "a huge increase in the rate of new firm creation."

Stripe added that there is "no ceiling on the size of the global economy" and that it envisions a "quadrillion-dollar world" and plans "to enumerate the relevant bottlenecks to bringing it about." So, this singularity is all about money.

It's not just Stripe that believes we are now living in a singularity. OpenAI's Sam Altman said the same thing last month. It's a more worrying statement from the CEO of the world's biggest AI company, especially as it came just days after its agents went rogue, prompting a slowdown of AI development.

Stripe's letter to investors was related to the company's agreement to acquire OpenRouter. The exact price was not disclosed, though one report put it at $7.5 billion and others at more than $8 billion. OpenRouter is essentially a marketplace and switching service for AI models.

Stripe already sells Token Billing, allowing AI businesses to charge customers based on model usage, while 88% of the Forbes AI 50 reportedly use its platform.

Stripe used the claimed inflection point to argue that it should remain private, allowing it to fund acquisitions and long-term investments without diluting investors. With first-half revenue up 41% and free cash flow rising 43%, the singularity appears to be treating it well.

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Stripe says the "singularity" began eight months ago, makes $7.5 billion AI bet

 

[Vixiy]

I might have the realization that AI surpassed my intelligence at the start of 2026 too if my IQ was below 70.

 

[yRaz]

So, just a thought. Maybe the singularity is happening not because AI is getting better and smart, but because humans are getting dumber. If we're going to start having AI singularities then applying relativity to artificial intelligence seems appropriate

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Sure sure, the "singularity" exists among the fractured LLMs of various companies. LMFAO.


Anything to keep investor dollars flowing.

 

[Anton Longshot]

We should strike back and let humans replace LLM's.
That will show them who's boss.

 

[JMGuy]

So, just a thought. Maybe the singularity is happening not because AI is getting better and smart, but because humans are getting dumber. If we're going to start having AI singularities then applying relativity to artificial intelligence seems appropriate

100%

The current state of critical thought is just abysmal. I honestly thought, decades ago, that the rise of the internet and information access would lead to better self-educated, more intelligent people.

I’ve since discovered that wealth, power, and intellect have apparently zero correlation.

 

[ragreeen2646]

Look out. Eventually the reality of AI as a flawed technology will be apparent but probably too late to stop the madness that is AI.

 

[MSIGamer]

Get ready to be scammed, dear investors!
Can you feel it already?? The sweet sweet prospect of losing everything to a bunch of lying low-lifes?
I'll never for the life of me understand the appeal of 'investing' in something that's so clearly failing and built on fundamental fraud and deceit.
Oh well. History will repeat as always and most will learn nothing.

 

[Axeia]

The current state of critical thought is just abysmal. I honestly thought, decades ago, that the rise of the internet and information access would lead to better self-educated, more intelligent people.

It did, for a short while.
We got a taste of different cultures, insights we'd normally not get and all information in the world easily reachable.

Then companies took over pretty much everything and their algorithms will feed you the information they want you to see and keep you in your own bubble. It's annoying as well, don't feel like I find much organically anymore - algorithm just try to shovel more and more of the same in my face.
I watch one playthrough of Cyberpunk 2077 - half my feed suddenly is full of it. I'd much rather decide myself what I want to watch from varied suggestions then a whole of the same, if I want to watch something specific I'll search for that specific thing tyvm.