OpenAI hopes the Apple partnership can bring 1 billion users

Can OpenAI reach a billion users next year?

The artificial intelligence (AI) company is targeting this number and expects a new phase of growth driven by new products, new data centers and partnerships with them Applethe Financial Times (FT) reported Saturday (November 30).

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

“(In 2025) we will be a research laboratory for millions of people… in the hope that it can reach billions of consumers around the world.” Sarah Friarsaid the company’s chief financial officer in an interview with FT.

After the largest fundraiser in Silicon Valley history in October – 6 billion dollars – She said the $150 billion company will continue to raise “more money,” both equity and debt.

Since she joined the company in June, “we’ve brought 10 billion of liquidity to the balance sheet. So that was my way of saying, ‘Hey, I’m going to get something done too,'” Friar added. “We are in a massive growth phase, it is up to us to continue investing. We have to be at the forefront of modeling. It’s expensive.”

Chris LehaneOpenAI’s new policy chief told the FT the company plans to achieve its goals by building data centers across the Midwest and Southwest of the US.

The FT said this push to build 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 ​​competition.

The news follows a report last week that OpenAI is increasing its sales force to ride the AI ​​wave reach a turnover of 100 billion US dollars until 2029.

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

At the same time, the use of AI for automated cybersecurity systems increased by 17% to 55% over the same period, underscoring growing confidence in their ability to manage complex systems and protect against cyber threats.

“In addition to High-impact features“COOs rely on GenAI for tasks such as data visualization, workflow management, and routine automation,” PYMNTS wrote. “The percentage of COOs using GenAI for visualization increased from 53% to 67% between May and August, highlighting its role in improving operational efficiency across all departments.”