OpenAI targets 220 million paid ChatGPT users by 2030

OpenAI expects to have 220 million paying ChatGPT users by 2030, a significant increase from its current paid base of approximately 35 million, according to reports from The Information.

The projection is based on an estimated 2.6 billion weekly active users, meaning roughly 8.5% would convert to paid subscriptions over the next five years. OpenAI’s revenue from subscriptions, along with new features like shopping assistance and ad-supported offerings, could reach $20 billion annually by 2025, according to industry sources.

Meanwhile, it is worth noting that around 35 million users, who account for about 5% of ChatGPT’s active weekly users, have decided to subscribe to the “Plus” or “Pro” plans as of July this year. The subscription costs for these plans are $20 and $200 per month, respectively.

However, reports from reliable sources indicate that, although the tech giant’s anticipated annual revenue run rate is expected to reach around $20 billion by the end of this year, the company faces a significant challenge: it is encountering increasing losses in its operations.

OpenAI believes ChatGPT subscription members will surge significantly by 2030

The Information released a report highlighting that OpenAI generated approximately  $4.3 billion in revenue during the first half of 2025. This figure reflected a 16% increase from its total revenue recorded last year. 

Nonetheless, despite this increase in revenue, the independent, subscription-based digital media company also disclosed that OpenAI incurred $2.5 billion in losses, primarily due to high research and development costs related to AI and the operation of ChatGPT.

Even with this challenge, the tech company still holds onto the belief that about 20% of its revenue will stem from new products, such as features related to shopping and advertising. Interestingly, the tech giant announced the introduction of a personal shopping assistant for ChatGPT this week. According to OpenAI, this shopping assistant could generate revenue through ads or sales commissions.

Meanwhile, Fidji Simo, the CEO of Applications at OpenAI, had earlier outlined her intentions to expand ChatGPT’s user base to billions. She made this statement while speaking remotely at the VivaTech summit in Paris. Simo argued that although ChatGPT serves hundreds of millions, AI should be advantageous to everyone, encouraging the company to aim for billions.

On the other hand, OpenAI has observed that businesses in Europe are increasingly seeking its AI services, despite growing concerns about using American tech providers on the continent. 

Following this finding, the San Francisco-based company announced this week that business subscriptions for ChatGPT have increased substantially, six times compared to last year, in certain areas such as Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Notably, according to Nicolai Skabo, OpenAI’s enterprise lead for these regions, much of this growth is coming from Europe.

This situation demonstrates that AI is becoming increasingly adopted globally, sparking stiff competition in the tech industry.

To cope with this competition, major tech companies worldwide have reportedly turned to debt markets to secure funds worth approximately $100 billion through recent bond sales, all in an effort to enhance their AI infrastructure. This move marks a significant shift in how Silicon Valley firms conduct their operations, as they have typically relied on cash for their investments.

Tech firms face increased pressure to make significant investments in AI 

Tech giants such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Oracle, and Meta have made public their intentions to increase their investment by nearly double from last year, spending approximately $400 billion on data centers.

At this time, Deutsche Bank publicly displayed its prediction that global investments in AI could reach $4 trillion by 2030. This prediction suggests that investors are eager to capitalize on a technology that has gained significant industry recognition just three years after the launch of ChatGPT.

To illustrate its commitment to exploring the technology, Amazon released a statement on November 17, stating that it seeks to raise a total of $15 billion through its first US dollar bond sale in three years. In the wake of this announcement, sources noted that the six-part offering drew in $80 billion in interest.

Alphabet, on the other hand, filed to acquire approximately $17.5 billion in debt in the US, in addition to €6.5 billion (approximately $7.49 billion) in Europe, for general corporate purposes, including paying off existing debts, on November 3.

While Meta Platforms requested permission for its largest bond offering of up to $30 billion to fund an expensive expansion of its AI infrastructure on October 30, sources discovered that the parent company of Facebook was facing intense financial pressures due to these AI investments. 

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