Why Big Tech is Suddenly Paying Up for Startups

When The Information broke the news that OpenRouter was in talks to sell the company last month, a shock wave rippled across Silicon Valley.

My phone lit up with bankers asking me if I had also heard that there had been a record nine suitors for the company, which helps customers switch between different AI models and centralize billing. I got the sense that at least two people I called about the deal turned around and placed their own bids as soon as I hung up.