GPT-4.1 Coming
An AI startup achieved an ARR of $10 million in just 9 days post-launch.
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AI research and deployment company behind ChatGPT. Coverage follows its models, products, research, governance and the business of deploying AI.
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- ChatGPT; AI models and research
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- OpenAI
Reviewed 19 October 2026. Dates retain the precision of the source; retrospective disclosures are identified in the event. Annualized revenue levels are not audited annual sales. Financing commitments are not revenue.
Company milestones
Revenue, funding, product launches and major company events, newest first. Expand the earlier milestones for more history.
Reported September annualized revenue is nearly $50B
Reuters reports a September run rate near $50B. Earlier figures near $70B used a different sales presentation; the two should not be treated as directly comparable growth milestones.
Source: ReutersBrings GPT-6 and Intelligent UI to everyone
OpenAI extends the new model generation beyond paid customers and reports more than 1.2B weekly ChatGPT users. This is user reach, not paid subscribers.
Source: OpenAI
Show earlier milestonesHide earlier milestones2026–2015 · 9 milestones
Earlier revenue, financing and company milestones.
$122B in committed capital at $852B valuation
OpenAI closes a financing round with $122B in committed capital. Commitments and valuation are financing measures, not sales.
Source: OpenAIDiscloses $2B → $6B → $20B+ annualized growth
The CFO retrospectively reports $2B ARR in 2023, $6B in 2024 and over $20B in 2025. These are year-specific annualized levels, not recognized annual revenue; this is the disclosure date.
Source: OpenAIAnnounces $40B financing at $300B valuation
The SoftBank-led financing is announced alongside 500M weekly ChatGPT users. The figure is announced funding, rather than an ARR milestone.
Source: OpenAIAdds a $4B revolving credit facility
The credit agreement follows $6.6B in equity funding. Available borrowing capacity is distinct from equity proceeds and revenue.
Source: OpenAIReleases GPT-4
GPT-4 expands the model platform beyond ChatGPT’s original research-preview generation, with API access initially offered through a waitlist.
Source: OpenAILaunches the ChatGPT research preview
The conversational interface makes instruction-following language models available directly to the public.
Source: OpenAIOpens its first commercial API
Developers gain access to general-purpose language models through an API, establishing a business alongside research.
Source: OpenAICreates a capped-profit partnership
OpenAI announces LP alongside its nonprofit, adding a structure for financing large-scale research and commercial development.
Source: OpenAIOpenAI is announced
The organization begins as a nonprofit AI research company, preceding its later commercial API and subscription businesses.
Source: OpenAI
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