OpenAI, the startup behind ChatGPT, remains a private company, meaning its financial statements are not publicly available. However, the company’s CFO, Sarah Friar, recently revealed that 75% of OpenAI’s revenue comes from paid customers. The subscription fee for ChatGPT starts at $20 per month.
Friar shared that OpenAI’s leadership is surprised by how quickly its user base is expanding, particularly in the consumer sector. In the corporate segment, where the audience is relatively “young,” the company has achieved significant revenue growth. As of September, the number of commercial subscribers reached 1 million. This figure includes not only corporate clients but also academic institutions.
ChatGPT User Metrics and Vision for AGI
ChatGPT currently attracts around 250 million weekly users. Of these, about 5 to 6% of free users eventually convert into paid subscribers. According to Friar, OpenAI’s primary focus is to remain at the forefront of technological innovation by building cutting-edge models. “The most important thing for us is to stay on the cutting edge: to build cutting-edge models, to ultimately deliver strong artificial intelligence (AGI) to humanity for its benefit,” she told Bloomberg.
Global Initiative to Build AI Infrastructure
Friar also disclosed OpenAI’s involvement in a global initiative to create a computing infrastructure powered by 5-gigawatt power plants, adds NIX Solutions. OpenAI is encouraging governments, partners, and competitors to invest in this infrastructure to harness the opportunities in the rapidly expanding AI market. She noted that building infrastructure is a new challenge for OpenAI, adding that the company is eager to learn and adapt as it ventures into this area.
We’ll keep you updated as OpenAI continues to grow and explore new opportunities.