OpenAI Expects the ChatGPT User Base to Grow to 2.6 Billion by 2030
OpenAI forecasts a significant expansion of the ChatGPT audience. According to the company’s estimates, by 2030 the service will be used weekly by 2.6 billion people. About 8.5% of them — roughly 220 million users — are expected to purchase a paid subscription, which would make OpenAI one of the world’s largest companies by number of subscribers.
The report notes that in July about 35 million people — approximately 5% of the weekly active user base — were already paying for the Plus or Pro plans, priced at 20 and 200 dollars per month, respectively.
Sources cited by Reuters say that by the end of the year OpenAI’s annual revenue may reach 20 billion dollars, although the company’s expenses are also increasing. In the first half of 2025, OpenAI generated 4.3 billion dollars in revenue — 16% more than in the entire previous year — while its expenses amounted to 2.5 billion dollars, mainly due to research, AI development, and support for ChatGPT.
OpenAI also expects that around 20% of its future revenue will come from new products, including tools focused on e-commerce and advertising services.
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