ChatGPT Will Soon Take a Cut of Your Profits to Make Money

OpenAI is preparing for a significant shift in how it generates revenue, moving beyond reliance on subscription fees for products such as ChatGPT. While paid plans will remain a core part of the business, the company is actively exploring additional monetization strategies, including licensing, profit-sharing, advertising, and outcome-based payments.

Royalty and Outcome-Based Pricing

Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar has outlined a model in which OpenAI earns revenue only when customers achieve measurable success. Under this approach, the company could collect royalties or licensing fees tied to specific business outcomes.

For example, if a pharmaceutical company uses OpenAI’s tools to develop a successful drug, OpenAI could receive a small percentage of the resulting sales. The model is designed to align incentives by linking OpenAI’s earnings directly to customer value creation.

A Flexible Business Strategy

Friar described OpenAI’s overall approach as a “Rubik’s Cube” of business models, with different combinations of technology, pricing, products, and markets.

In its early stages, OpenAI relied on a narrow setup that included a single cloud provider, one primary chip partner, and a limited product lineup. The company now operates across multiple partners, platforms, and pricing structures.

OpenAI has expanded well beyond its original consumer offerings. In addition to ChatGPT for individuals and businesses, the company now provides tools such as Sora for video generation, enterprise AI platforms, industry-specific solutions, and systems designed for scientific research.

The company also works with multiple cloud providers and chip manufacturers, reducing its dependence on any single partner and increasing operational resilience.

Computing Capacity Limits Growth

Demand for OpenAI’s services remains high, but growth is constrained by available computing power. Over the past two years, OpenAI’s revenue has increased nearly tenfold, closely tracking the expansion of its computing capacity.

To support further growth, OpenAI has committed to large-scale infrastructure agreements with partners including Oracle and AMD.

Looking Ahead

OpenAI is also testing advertising for free users and exploring e-commerce features as part of its broader monetization strategy. The company’s long-term objective is to make AI as dependable as essential infrastructure, comparable to electricity.