OpenAI Hopes Apple Partnership Can Mark 1 Billion Users by End of Year

Can OpenAI get to 1 billion users over the next year?

The artificial intelligence (AI) company is targeting that number and anticipating a new phase of growth driven by new products, new data centers and its partnership with Apple, the Financial Times (FT) reported Saturday (Nov. 30).

The startup’s ChatGPT chatbot has added 250 million weekly active users since its launch two years ago, the report said. Now, OpenAI plans further expansion via AI agents, its own AI-powered search engine and ChatGPT’s integration with Apple products.

“[In 2025] we will be coming into our own, as a research lab serving millions … hoping it can be billions of consumers around the world,” Sarah Friar, the company’s chief financial officer, said in an interview with FT.

After the largest fundraise in Silicon Valley history in October — $6 billion — she said the $150 billion company would continue to raise “more money,” both equity and debt.

Since she joined the company in June, “We put 10 billion of liquidity on the balance sheet. So that was my way of saying, ‘Hey, I’m going to get stuff done too,’” Friar added. “We’re in a massive growth phase, it behooves us to keep investing. We need to be on the frontier on the model front. That is expensive.”

Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s new policy chief, told FT the company plans to achieve its goals by building data centers clustered throughout the American Midwest and Southwest.

The FT said this push to construct its own AI infrastructure mirrors similar efforts by Big Tech rivals such as Google and Amazon. Lehane said “chips, data and energy” are the key resources needed to succeed in the AI race.

The news follows a report from last week that OpenAI was adding to its sales staff as it tries to ride the AI wave to reach $100 billion in revenue by 2029.

In other AI news, PYMNTS wrote recently about efforts by chief operating officers (COOs) to use generative AI for critical operations, like production feedback and cybersecurity management. Research by PYMNTS Intelligence shows that 57% of COOs are using GenAI to monitor production in August, up from 32% in May.

At the same time, AI use for automated cybersecurity systems climbed 17% to 55% in the same time frame, spotlighting rising confidence in its ability to manage complex systems and guard against cyberthreats.

“In addition to high-impact functions, COOs rely on GenAI for tasks like data visualizations, workflow management and routine automation,” PYMNTS wrote. “The share of COOs using GenAI for visualizations grew from 53% to 67% between May and August, underscoring its role in improving operational efficiency across departments.”