No more free lunch? With ChatGPIT, Sam Altman wants to create one of the world’s largest paid services
Sam Altman plans to transform ChatGPT into a leading subscription service by 2030. According to recent reports, OpenAI’s annual revenue run rate is estimated to reach $20 billion by the end of 2025.
Sam Altman’s next big bet for OpenAI isn’t just about building smart chatbots, it’s about turning ChatGPT into a money-making machine. The company reportedly plans to convert a significant portion of its huge user base into paying subscribers, potentially making ChatGPT one of the world’s largest subscription services by the end of the decade. According to a report by The Information, OpenAI expects that by 2030, about 8.5 percent of the estimated 2.6 billion weekly users, about 220 million people, will pay for premium versions of ChatGPIT. If achieved, it would put the AI assistant at par with global subscription giants like Netflix and Spotify in terms of paying users.
As of July 2025, approximately 35 million users, or 5 percent of ChatGPT’s weekly active base, were already subscribed to its “Plus” and “Pro” tiers, priced at $20 (₹1,999 in India) and $200 (₹19,900 in India) per month, respectively. OpenAI sees this as the beginning of a long-term plan to turn AI curiosity into recurring revenue.
OpenAI’s growing ambitions and rising expenses
Despite its growing popularity, OpenAI’s financial outlook remains a balancing act between rapid growth and rising costs. The company’s annual revenue run rate is projected to reach $20 billion by the end of 2025, but sources told Reuters its expenses continue to rise, driven primarily by the computational demands of running its advanced AI systems and the research and development needed to improve them.
Earlier this year, The Information reported that OpenAI was projected to generate $4.3 billion in revenue in the first half of 2025, nearly 16 percent more than in 2024. However, it also lost $2.5 billion over the same period, underscoring the staggering cost of training and operating large AI models like GPT-5.
Still, CEO Sam Altman remains optimistic. He has repeatedly said that OpenAI’s focus is not just on short-term profits, but on building products that redefine the way people work, learn, and create with AI and getting users to pay for that privilege.
New Ways to Benefit ChatGPT
To reduce reliance on subscriptions, OpenAI is also exploring alternative revenue streams. The company expects about 20 percent of its future revenue to come from new ventures, including shopping and ad-driven features within ChatGPIT.
This week, OpenAI launched a personalized shopping assistant built into ChatGPT, allowing users to browse, compare, and buy products directly in the chat window. Analysts believe the move could open the door to advertising partnerships or commission-based sales, like Amazon’s affiliate model.
If OpenAI’s projections are correct, ChatGPT could become one of the most successful subscription-based digital products ever launched, and potentially the first AI service to achieve that scale.
For millions of users accustomed to chatting for free with ChatGPT, this change signals a new era. The tool that made AI accessible to everyone is now ready to test how much people are actually willing to pay to talk to their favorite chatbot.
