OpenAI, Snowflake strike $200 million deal to embed GPT-5.2 in AI data cloud

GPT-5.2 to run natively inside Snowflake’s vault; partnership aims to end "Data Export" security risks for global giants.

In a move that effectively collapses the wall between raw data and high-level intelligence, Snowflake and OpenAI announced a massive, multi-year $200 million partnership on February 2, 2026. The deal integrates OpenAI’s most advanced models, including the newly revealed GPT-5.2, directly into the Snowflake AI Data Cloud, allowing companies to run AI agents on their most sensitive data without it ever leaving Snowflake’s secure perimeter.

The partnership is a direct strike against the "extract-and-call" pattern, where companies are forced to ship sensitive data to external AI providers, creating massive security and compliance headaches.

The "native" edge: GPT-5.2 inside the perimeter

The centerpiece of the deal is the native integration of OpenAI models into Snowflake Cortex AI.

Traditionally, to use ChatGPT with company data, you had to send it to OpenAI. Now, the model "comes to the data." Operations happen entirely within Snowflake’s governed environment.

Consequently, a new natural-language interface allows any employee, not just data scientists, to ask complex questions like, "Why did our Midwest margins drop in Q4?" and receive answers grounded in live, structured business data.

Developers can also now call OpenAI models directly using standard SQL commands. This allows for the automated analysis of text, images, and even audio files stored in Snowflake tables.

The "agentic" workflow

The partnership isn't just about answering questions; it's about AI Agents that take action.

Using a new Apps SDK and AgentKit, businesses can build autonomous agents that monitor data for anomalies and automatically trigger workflows (e.g., reordering inventory when a supply chain delay is detected).

Early adopters

Global brands like Canva and WHOOP are already using the integration. Canva is reportedly using it to scale its visual AI offerings while keeping user data strictly governed, while WHOOP is using it to provide deeper, context-aware performance analytics for its athletes.

Geopolitical and competitive shifts

The $200 million deal reshapes the "Cloud Wars" leaderboard. While Microsoft remains OpenAI's primary partner, this deal allows OpenAI to expand its footprint across AWS and Google Cloud (wherever Snowflake runs), reducing its exclusive reliance on Azure.

Pressure on Databricks

Snowflake’s arch-rival, Databricks, recently raised $4 billion to fund its own "Agent Bricks" framework. This partnership levels the playing field, giving Snowflake customers immediate access to the "gold standard" of LLMs.

This follows a similar $200 million deal Snowflake signed with Anthropic in late 2025, signalling a "multi-model" strategy where Snowflake acts as the neutral, secure layer for all top-tier AI.

Internal transformation

As part of the agreement, Snowflake is also "eating its own dog food." All 12,600 Snowflake employees have been granted access to ChatGPT Enterprise to streamline internal decision-making and coding tasks, further embedding OpenAI's technology into the company's fabric.