The contribution Next Level Money Burn: When does Openai finally earn money? First appeared at the online magazine Basic Thinking. You can start the day well every morning via our newsletter update.
Openai is probably the most famous AI company in the world. The problem at the company behind Chatgpt: So far, CEO Sam Altman has not managed to put on a reasonable business model. The losses rise. Therefore, the question arises: how and when does Openai actually earn money?
Background: Openai earns too little money
- With 700 million users Chatgpt is the most popular AI application in the world. However, only a negligible fraction of the users is ready to complete a paid premium subscription for just over 20 euros a month. When GPT-5 introduced Sam Altman to say it currently five million paying customers gives. Far too few to rely on refinancing via subscription model.
- Although Openaai with Rated $ 300 billion and only in spring 2025 again $ 40 billion has collected, Openai is one of the most efficient money destruction systems of the world. In 2024 the loss was still around $ five billion, forecasts for 2025 even say a loss of around nine billion US dollars. Currently a bottom of a floor, but also not unusual for a company in a strong growth phase.
- High infrastructure costs for the development of AI, high personnel costs for approved expertise and high energy costs press Openai deep into the minus. Also the US Großbank JP Morgan Chase Despite the massive growth At the earliest in 2029 with the achievement of profitability. Before that made profits are very unlikely.
Classification: with end devices and companies for profitability
Openai CEO Sam Altman is also aware that even the most attractive company in the world has to earn money at some point- the sooner the better. That is why Altman is massively turning on the small and large adjustment screws of money.
This is how Openai has been focusing on GPT-5 since the publication of GPT-5 Corporate. In the official presentation It says, “GPT-5 is an important step towards positioning intelligence at the center of every company.” Even in the Pricing Private users now play a subordinate role. Single -out sole proprietorship and entire departments come to the fore.
Last but not least, Altman works with the former chief designer of Apple Jony Ivewhose company Openaai took over in May 2025 for $ 6.5 billion strictly secret AI end device. In conversation with the “Wall Street Journal“Altman expects the AI gadget to be sold over 100 million times-and the Increase the market value of Openai to a trillion (!) US dollar should.
Voices
- Openai CEO Sam Altman Already said in 2023 in the podcast “In Good Company“(From minute 22) When asked how his business model should work:” We will simply try things out. And if we do it wrong: Who is interested? It’s not that we would have screwed up something that had long since been solved. Most large tech companies start with a product and complement a research unit that does not work very well. And we have started as a research company and added a product that didn’t work well. “
- Stephanie CohenChief Strategy Officer at Cloudflare is of the opinion that content manufacturers and artificial intelligence are in a direct interaction ratio. Therefore, both parties must be taken into account when monetizing AI. In conversation with “Heise“” She says: “In a world in which everyone only read derivatives, we have to find a functioning business model so that we can create a sustainable ecosystem in which both Content manufacturers and AI innovators can be successful. “
- As a CEO of Salesforce Marc Benioff One of the most influential tech managers in the world. For him is The integration of AI into products A lever to higher margins. In an interview with “Bloomberg“(From minute 12:30) Benioff says:“ Today, Ki already does 30 to 50 percent of the work at Salesforce and I think that will continue to increase.
Outlook: All Or Nothing
Whether Steve Jobs, Elon Musk or Bill Gates: Numerous successful managers in the tech industry are always changing or walking on the narrow line between genius and madness. And how the behavior of Elon Musk has a decisive influence on the future of Tesla is the future of Openaai with that Act (and the fantasies) by Sam Altman tied together.
An Openai without Sam Altman will not exist for the foreseeable future – that has shown the past. Therefore, the question arises as to whether the verbal flights ultimately use or harm Openai. With a view to the financing, there is next to higher income (Subscription, advertising, business customers) and Low expenses also a last way out: an exit.
In order for a sale of Openaai to remain an option, on the one hand must be Sam Altman master and on the other hand may the evaluation in relation to the income does not increase too high. Because even very liquid players in the technology circus, which traditionally belong to Apple, will not give up your money for an overvalued AI company-there are too many alternatives on the market. And whether in the Ki competition at the end Openai, Perplexity, Mistral or a completely different provider, nobody is interested in ten years.
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- Technophobia: The AI resistance is growing
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As a Tech Industry expert, I see OpenAI as a cutting-edge company that is pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence and machine learning. While they have made significant advancements in these fields, they have also faced criticism for their high level of spending and lack of a clear revenue-generating model.
It is important to note that OpenAI is a research organization first and foremost, and their primary goal is to advance the field of AI rather than turn a profit. However, in order to sustain their operations and continue to attract top talent, they will eventually need to find ways to monetize their technology.
One potential avenue for revenue generation could be through licensing their technology to other companies or industries. By offering their AI models and tools to businesses looking to improve their own products and services, OpenAI could potentially earn a steady stream of income.
Additionally, they could explore partnerships with larger tech companies who may be interested in incorporating OpenAI’s technology into their own products or services. This could provide a lucrative source of revenue while also expanding the reach and impact of OpenAI’s work.
Overall, while it may take some time for OpenAI to start earning money, I believe that their groundbreaking research and technology have the potential to attract strong interest from the industry, leading to profitable opportunities in the future.
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