OpenAI's annual revenue is on track to reach $12 billion, but costs are rising as it continues to raise funds.

2025-08-01 21:49



Silicon Valley media outlet The Information, citing sources, reported on Wednesday that ChatGPT developer OpenAI's revenue nearly doubled in the first seven months of this year, bringing its annualized revenue to $12 billion, equivalent to monthly revenue exceeding $1 billion.



The report pointed out that the number of weekly active users of the chatbot ChatGPT, including general consumers and corporate users, is about 700 million.


The revenue surge suggests OpenAI is on track to surpass its forecast of $12.7 billion in revenue this year, a significant increase from about $4 billion in 2024, as more users subscribe to ChatGPT to help with programming and other tasks.



But rapid growth comes with higher costs. The Microsoft-backed company has raised its cash burn forecast to about $8 billion by 2025, $1 billion more than it expected at the beginning of the year.



After securing $10 billion in the first tranche of a new funding round in June, OpenAI is reportedly seeking investors for the second, $30 billion tranche. In addition to Japan's SoftBank Group, other investors are close to finalizing $7.5 billion in commitments. Existing shareholders Sequoia Capital and Tiger Global Management will each invest hundreds of millions of dollars.



SoftBank has pledged to fund the remaining $22.5 billion of the $30 billion financing by the end of the year, as long as OpenAI completes a corporate restructuring by the end of this year or early next year, making its for-profit unit ultimately eligible for a public listing.


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