OpenAI is projecting that its revenue would grow at a fast clip in the next few years and exceed US$280 billion in 2030, a person familiar with the matter said.
The revenue forecast reflects OpenAI’s strong momentum in subscription sales for its artificial intelligence (AI) software to consumers and businesses. OpenAI has also began testing advertising for certain users, creating a new potential moneymaker for the company.
OpenAI chief financial officer Sarah Friar said the company’s annualized revenue topped US$20 billion last year, up from about US$6 billion the previous year.
Photo: AFP
CNBC was first to report the new revenue estimate.
Like its peers, OpenAI is racing to convince more companies and users to pay up for its AI services to help offset the immense cost of chips, data centers and talent needed to build its technology.
OpenAI previously said it had committed to spend more than US$1.4 trillion on infrastructure for AI in the coming years.
The company is now telling investors it is planning to spend about US$600 billion by 2030, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private matters.
OpenAI chief executive officer Sam Altman is engaged in a massive construction spree to build data centers in the US and beyond, as he seeks a leading position in AI against rivals such as Alphabet Inc and Anthropic PBC.
The company is close to finalizing the first phase of a new funding round that is likely to bring in more than US$100 billion, Bloomberg News has reported.
The overall valuation of the company, including the eventual funding, could exceed US$850 billion.
Meanwhile, OpenAI said it has “visibility into what we are going to need” regarding chip supply, while emphasizing the need for democratic nations to develop shared safety standards for AI.
The start-up is working with strategic partners who are “supportive” in terms of providing access to chips, OpenAI chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane told Bloomberg Television.
OpenAI executives remain vigilant about supply chain issues, ensuring they “sleep with one eye open” to verify availability, he added.
Lehane, who attended an AI summit in India with Altman last week, also emphasized the importance of international cooperation on governance, pointing to AI safety institutes emerging in the US, the UK and Japan, and drawing parallels to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“Democratic societies do need to start to develop shared safety standards on this technology,” Lehane said in the interview.
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