GPT-5 Nears Debut, OpenAI Hits $300B Valuation

Nick Turley, Head of Product for the ChatGPT app, stated on social media that weekly active users of ChatGPT are set to surpass 700 million this week. That means roughly one in every ten people on Earth is using GPT services. On average, users conduct 3 billion conversations per day.

Even more impressively, GPT continues to grow rapidly despite already having hundreds of millions of users. A weekly user base of 700 million represents an astounding 400% year-over-year growth rate.

As reliance on AI intensifies, OpenAI now serves 5 million paying enterprise users, up from just 3 million in June. That’s a 66% increase in paying users in just one month. This enterprise momentum has fueled a surge in OpenAI’s revenue, which has reached an annualized $13 billion and is expected to hit $20 billion by the end of the year.

Among the 22 leading AI startups, total annualized revenue stands around $18 billion—with OpenAI alone contributing 70% of that. Anthropic ranks second, while others lag far behind.

This explosive growth in users and monetization has pushed OpenAI’s valuation to $300 billion, officially surpassing Coca-Cola, whose latest market cap stands at $295 billion.

GPT-5 Possibly on the Horizon

There’s growing speculation that GPT-5, OpenAI’s highly anticipated next-generation model, could debut soon. CEO Sam Altman recently responded to user questions by teasing GPT-5’s interface. From the limited screenshots shared, it appears GPT-5 will have stronger integration with internet content, such as pulling in ratings and reviews from Rotten Tomatoes.

Revenue Is Surging, But Losses Remain

Despite skyrocketing revenue, OpenAI remains unprofitable due to the immense resources required to operate ChatGPT. The company has raised its 2025 net cash burn forecast from $7 billion to $8 billion. Server leasing alone could cost $14 billion this year—and possibly more.

Revenue from subscriptions currently falls short of covering total operating costs, meaning OpenAI still relies on external funding. Fortunately, the company’s leadership in AI applications makes it an attractive investment. Just last week, OpenAI closed an $8.3 billion funding round, part of a broader $40 billion raise led by SoftBank. Other investors included a16z, Sequoia Capital, Blackstone, Tiger Global, TPG, and Fidelity. The round was oversubscribed by more than fivefold and closed ahead of schedule.

Rivals Are Catching Up

While ChatGPT is currently the frontrunner in the AI race, competition is heating up.

Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI members, is in talks to raise $5 billion, potentially pushing its valuation to $170 billion. Its Claude model has gained considerable traction.

Meanwhile, Google's Gemini chatbot now boasts over 450 million monthly active users.

OpenAI has taken the early lead—but in the fast-evolving world of AI, can it stay ahead? Only time will tell.