OpenAI Surpasses 400 Million Users and Doubles Corporate Subscribers

OpenAI has reported a significant increase in its user base, surpassing 400 million individuals utilizing its services, particularly ChatGPT, on a weekly basis. This marks a 33% rise since December. Additionally, the number of corporate subscribers has nearly doubled in just five months, reaching 2 million.

In September of the previous year, the number of business users for ChatGPT surpassed one million, a notable increase from just 600,000 subscriptions about ten months ago. OpenAI's CEO, Brad Lightcap, indicated that the integration of their AI technology by developers has also seen substantial growth, with a reported fivefold increase in usage of their reasoning model, o3.

Lightcap attributes the growing acceptance of AI technologies to the enhanced utility of ChatGPT, which has become more relevant to a broader audience. He emphasized that word-of-mouth recommendations play a crucial role in this growth, as users realize the benefits of the technology through personal experiences and peer usage.

The surge in corporate adoption is partially influenced by employees who use ChatGPT privately and subsequently recommend its integration into their workplaces. This familiarity fosters a positive reception for the tool and contributes to steady growth in corporate subscriptions.

OpenAI's expansion occurs amid increased competition, particularly from DeepSeek, a Chinese AI language model that has entered the market with promising capabilities. Despite this, Lightcap expressed confidence that the emergence of DeepSeek has not hindered OpenAI's strategies but rather underscored the growing public interest in AI solutions.

DeepSeek's entry into the market has raised concerns due to its selective approach to certain topics and ongoing investigations into data privacy issues, which have led to scrutiny from regulatory bodies. OpenAI has also alleged that DeepSeek may have trained its models using technology similar to ChatGPT.

Amidst these developments, OpenAI is navigating financial pressures, especially with Elon Musk's attempts to transform the organization into a profit-driven entity. Musk initially pursued legal action against OpenAI but has shifted tactics, proposing a $100 billion offer for control of the company. The board has firmly rejected this proposal, signaling that OpenAI is not for sale.

Lightcap commented on the situation, noting that while Musk is a competitor, OpenAI is focused on transparency regarding its position and future plans. The company is also actively seeking new investments to support its operations, with a target of raising $40 billion. Microsoft has previously invested billions, and there are discussions with a Japanese firm, Softbank, regarding potential funding.