OpenAI’s ChatGPT AI Assistant Hits 1 Million Paid Professional Users and Surpasses 200 Million Weekly Users, a Staggering Growth that Demonstrates Massive Adoption of AI in Both Professional and Consumer Worlds Worldwide.

Figures that make your head spin

OpenAI has seen its number of paid professional users explode in just a few months. According to the official press release, the company now has "more than 1 million paid business users worldwide, up from 600,000 in April 2024"; an increase of more than 66% in just 5 months. (It is important to note that these numbers represent paid "seats", i.e. user licenses such as ChatGPT Enterprise, Team and Edu).

As for the general public, generative AI tools continue to gain traction: ChatGPT now has over 200 million weekly active users (Reuters sources), a doubling of its user base since fall 2023.

A global adoption

OpenAI's expansion is not limited to U.S. borders. The statement emphasizes that " More than half of Enterprise, Team and Edu seats are now outside the United States ». The three main markets outside the United States being theGermany, the United Kingdom and Japan.

Prestigious collaborations in Europe

OpenAI is not only conquering the SMB market. The company is also collaborating with some of the largest European organizations. Notable partnerships mentioned in the press release include:

  • The Financial Times, which uses OpenAI tools to “help its employees enjoy gains in creativity and productivity.”
  • Oxford University, which partners with Microsoft and OpenAI as part of its digital transformation.
  • Sanofi, the French pharmaceutical giant, which develops “AI software to accelerate drug development.”
  • BBVA, the Spanish banking group, which is deploying OpenAI AI among its employees, “thus promoting innovation and improving productivity.”
  • Zalando, the German e-commerce giant, which has launched “an AI-powered fashion assistant on its web platforms and app.”

The concrete impact of ChatGPT in the professional world

To measure the real impact of its solutions, OpenAI conducted a survey of 4,700 professional users worldwide. The results are telling:

  • 92% users see an increase in their productivity
  • 88% claim to save time
  • 75% observed an improvement in creativity and innovation

These figures demonstrate that the adoption of ChatGPT brings tangible benefits to companies that use it mainly for:

  • Collection of information
  • Content writing and editing
  • Idea generation

Growth to be maintained

Despite these impressive figures and stunning financial results – $3.4 billion in May 2024, double the revenue forecast for the end of 2023, which was $1.6 billion – (Source the information and Bloomberg), The company must maintain its growth and continue to invest massively in R&D while managing colossal operational costs. According to unofficial estimates, training AI models is expected to cost around $7 billion by 2024, with an additional $1.5 billion in personnel costs.

To face these challenges and widen the gap with its competitors Open AI seeks to raise new funds: $6.5 billion….for a valuation of $150 billion. Also according to Bloomberg, the financing round would be led by Thrive Capital. Microsoft, Apple and Nvidia are also looking to enter the race…

OpenAI’s announcement marks a turning point in the adoption of AI in the business world, establishing itself as a must-have tool for companies looking to improve their productivity and creativity. However, OpenAI will still face challenges in translating its adoption success into sustainable financial success.

One thing is for sure: AI is redefining the way we work.

As Brad Lightcap, COO of OpenAI, points out: “From reshaping student learning to optimizing patient care to transforming how governments serve their citizens, AI is redefining the way people work.”