OpenAI has officially crossed $10 billion in annual recurring revenue, just under three years after launching ChatGPT. This surge marks a new chapter in the company’s explosive growth, one fuelled by widespread adoption, aggressive investments, and the race to dominate AI.
$10 Billion in Recurring Revenue — And Counting
The figure was revealed during WWDC 2025, and it represents only recurring revenue, not including enterprise licensing deals or Microsoft-related earnings. According to OpenAI, this $10 billion stream comes from:
- Consumer subscriptions (like ChatGPT Plus)
- Business clients using ChatGPT Enterprise
- Developers accessing OpenAI’s API
In 2024, OpenAI reported $5.5 billion in recurring revenue. That number has now doubled in less than 12 months.
Growth Fueled by Costly Scale
Despite this impressive revenue climb, OpenAI also spent heavily, burning through an estimated $5 billion in 2024 alone. The costs came from:
- Recruiting world-class AI talent
- Expanding compute infrastructure
- Constantly iterating on its AI models and features
The company has not disclosed full operating costs but has set an ambitious $125 billion revenue goal by 2029.
Investors Betting Big
Earlier in 2025, OpenAI raised $40 billion in a record-setting funding round, the largest private tech deal in history. This round included top-tier investors such as:
- Microsoft
- SoftBank
- Coatue
- Altimeter
- Thrive Capital
With a valuation nearly 30 times its current revenue, the company faces intense pressure to deliver.
Rapid Product Expansion and User Growth
Since the public release of ChatGPT in late 2022, OpenAI has continued to build momentum:
- Business products launched in 2023
- 3 million paying business customers as of March 2025 (up from 2 million in February)
- Over 500 million weekly active users
The product ecosystem now spans everything from consumer AI assistants to developer tools and enterprise-grade solutions.
High Growth, High Stakes
Internally, OpenAI celebrates its rapid growth,but acknowledges the pressure. Its success depends on relentless investment in infrastructure, computational power, and top talent. Profitability remains uncertain, and the company has not confirmed if it’s close to breaking even.
Still, OpenAI’s trajectory is undeniable: in under three years, it has gone from a bold disruptor to a central force shaping the AI era.
