ChatGPT to Become World's Largest Subscription Service with 220 Million Users by 2030

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The Information reports that OpenAI’s ChatGPT is expected to become one of the largest subscription-based businesses.

OpenAI, the artificial intelligence powerhouse behind ChatGPT, has set ambitious growth projections for its popular chatbot service. The company envisions that by 2030, a staggering 220 million people will pay for a subscription to ChatGPT, positioning it as one of the largest subscription businesses globally. This prediction comes from a recent report by The Information.

As of now, OpenAI’s weekly active user base is estimated at 2.6 billion people. Of this, approximately 8.5% or around 220 million are expected to pay for a subscription by the end of the decade. Currently, OpenAI’s ChatGPT already boasts a sizable number of paying users. As of July 2025, about 35 million users subscribe to either the Plus or Pro plans, priced at $20 and $200 per month, respectively.

OpenAI is projecting annualized revenue to hit approximately $20 billion by the end of 2025. According to sources familiar with the company’s financials, OpenAI is expected to burn through significant capital due to the costs associated with research and development for its AI innovations, including the ongoing development of ChatGPT.

Earlier in September, The Information reported that OpenAI generated about $4.3 billion in revenue in the first half of 2025, a 16% increase from the prior year. Despite this, OpenAI incurred losses of $2.5 billion, primarily driven by R&D investments.

OpenAI is Exploring New Revenue Streams

As part of its plan to diversify its revenue model, OpenAI is now eyeing new product offerings, including shopping and advertising-driven features. Recently, the company unveiled a personal shopping assistant for ChatGPT, for monetizing the chatbot through ads or commission-based sales.

OpenAI expects these new initiatives to generate about 20% of its total revenue moving forward. Despite the growing costs, the company’s long-term strategy suggests that the expansion of paying users will provide the necessary revenue to sustain its business model.