The report, citing an internal Slack message, also revealed that OpenAI is preparing to roll out an updated chat model within the week. The company’s chatbot now boasts more than 800 million weekly active users, underscoring its position as one of the most widely adopted consumer AI products globally. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and the report could not be independently verified.
The renewed growth comes as competition among AI developers sharpens. Rivals are racing to capture both consumer and enterprise markets, with Google’s Gemini app surpassing 750 million monthly active users by the end of the December quarter. At the same time, Anthropic has emerged as a notable challenger, particularly among software developers who have embraced its AI tools for coding and productivity.
Anthropic has been expanding its business-focused offerings, including products such as Claude Cowork, designed to execute computer-based tasks for white-collar professionals. This push has positioned the startup as a potential disruptor in the enterprise software space.
Within this competitive landscape, OpenAI is also seeing rapid uptake of its own developer tools. Altman reportedly told staff that Codex, the company’s coding product, recorded growth of about 50 per cent in just one week. Codex competes directly with Anthropic’s Claude Code, reflecting the growing importance of AI-powered programming assistants. Last week, OpenAI further strengthened its lineup with the launch of a new coding model, GPT-5.3-Codex.
Beyond product expansion, OpenAI is taking steps to bolster revenue as development costs continue to rise. The company has previously disclosed plans to begin showing advertisements in ChatGPT to some users in the United States, marking a shift toward monetising its massive user base while sustaining investment in next-generation AI systems.