OpenAI said its advertising business has reached a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate, a milestone the company highlighted as it prepares for an initial public offering. The unit was launched roughly 200 days ago and is now contributing another revenue stream alongside OpenAI's enterprise products, consumer subscriptions and usage-based application programming interfaces.
Company statements framed the result as evidence of a diversified business model at a time when OpenAI faces pressure to validate an $852 billion valuation to prospective investors. The advertising service was initially tested inside the ChatGPT chatbot in the United States in February and has since expanded rapidly.
OpenAI said ChatGPT Ads are available in more than 40 countries and that the company is rolling out expanded self-service access across India, Europe, and the Middle East and North Africa. Advertisements appear to both Go subscribers and users on the free tier - the latter comprising the majority of OpenAI's reported 1 billion weekly active users.
The company emphasized that ads are clearly labeled and asserted they do not alter ChatGPT's responses. OpenAI additionally stated that advertisers do not have access to users' private conversations. The announcement also outlined plans to broaden ChatGPT Ads into new markets and to introduce additional ad formats, campaign objectives, buying options and measurement capabilities.
OpenAI said it will explore further ways for businesses to engage with consumers inside ChatGPT, while continuing to develop the ad product. The introduction of advertising drew public criticism from competitor Anthropic, which highlighted OpenAI's advertising approach in its own first Super Bowl campaign.
While the $1 billion annualized figure marks a notable revenue milestone coming on the heels of a roughly 200-day rollout, the company faces ongoing scrutiny from investors focused on valuation and the sustainability of its revenue mix. OpenAI framed the ad business as a complementary revenue source alongside enterprise contracts, subscription fees and API usage charges.