The revenue forecast reflects OpenAI’s strong momentum in subscription sales for its AI software to consumers and businesses. OpenAI also recently began testing advertising for certain users, creating a new potential moneymaker for the company.

OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar recently said the company’s annualised revenue topped US$20 billion in 2025, up from roughly US$6 billion the year prior.

CNBC was first to report the new revenue estimate.

Like its peers, OpenAI is racing to convince more companies and users to pay up for its AI services to help offset the immense cost of chips, data centres and talent needed to build its technology.

OpenAI previously said it has committed to spend more than US$1.4 trillion on infrastructure for AI in the coming years. The company is now telling investors it’s planning to spend about US$600 billion by 2030, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private matters.

OpenAI is close to finalising the first phase of a new funding round that is likely to bring in more than US$100 billion, Bloomberg News has reported. The overall valuation of the company, including the eventual funding, could exceed US$850 billion.