OpenAI

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At a glance

AI research and deployment company behind ChatGPT. Coverage follows its models, products, research, governance and the business of deploying AI.

Focus: ChatGPT; AI models and research
Reference: 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.

Oct
2026
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: Reuters
Oct
2026
Brings 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.

Mar
2026
$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: OpenAI
Jan
2026
Discloses $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: OpenAI
Mar
2025
Announces $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: OpenAI
Oct
2024
Adds 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: OpenAI
Mar
2023
Releases GPT-4
GPT-4 expands the model platform beyond ChatGPT’s original research-preview generation, with API access initially offered through a waitlist.
Source: OpenAI
Nov
2022
Launches the ChatGPT research preview
The conversational interface makes instruction-following language models available directly to the public.
Source: OpenAI
Jun
2020
Opens its first commercial API
Developers gain access to general-purpose language models through an API, establishing a business alongside research.
Source: OpenAI
Mar
2019
Creates a capped-profit partnership
OpenAI announces LP alongside its nonprofit, adding a structure for financing large-scale research and commercial development.
Source: OpenAI
Dec
2015
OpenAI is announced
The organization begins as a nonprofit AI research company, preceding its later commercial API and subscription businesses.
Source: OpenAI