OpenAI Expects Annualized Revenue to Reach $70 Billion by the End of 2026

OpenAI is projecting a significant increase in revenue by the end of 2026 as demand for its artificial intelligence products continues to grow. According to a Bloomberg report published on October 9, the company expects its annualized revenue to reach or exceed $70 billion by December, largely driven by its expanding enterprise business. The projection was reportedly shared with investors during discussions about a new fundraising round. However, OpenAI’s annualized revenue stood at approximately $50 billion at the end of September, according to reports published by the Financial Times and Reuters. The difference between the current figure and the year-end target highlights the scale of growth the company expects over the remaining months of the year. OpenAI has not publicly confirmed the reported figures.

One of the main drivers of OpenAI’s projected growth is its enterprise business, which provides AI tools and services to companies and organisations. Businesses are increasingly adopting AI for software development, customer support, data analysis, document processing and workflow automation. OpenAI’s products include ChatGPT for workplace use and application programming interfaces that allow developers to integrate its models into their own software. According to figures cited in recent reports, OpenAI’s overall annualized revenue run rate increased by approximately 77% during the third quarter, while its enterprise revenue run rate grew by 107%. These figures suggest that commercial customers are becoming an increasingly important part of the company’s business as it competes with Anthropic and other AI providers for corporate spending.

However, the company’s revenue figures have recently generated confusion among investors. Reports published in late September suggested that OpenAI was already approaching $70 billion in annualized revenue. Subsequent reporting indicated that the figure of approximately $50 billion at the end of September was based on OpenAI’s own accounting, while the higher estimate attempted to make its performance more directly comparable with rival Anthropic. The difference concerns how revenue from cloud partners is recorded. Anthropic counts the full value of certain sales made through cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud, recording the partners’ share as an expense. OpenAI, by contrast, records only its own share of revenue from certain partner arrangements. Both approaches can comply with accounting standards, depending on the companies’ roles in the transactions, but they make direct comparisons more complicated.

OpenAI is also reportedly seeking to raise at least $30 billion in additional funding at a proposed pre-money valuation of approximately $1.4 trillion. The discussions come after the company completed a major funding round in March 2026, which reportedly raised $122 billion and valued it at $852 billion after the new investment. The additional capital could help support computing infrastructure, research, product development and the expansion of its services to businesses worldwide. Building and operating advanced AI systems requires substantial spending on data centres, specialised chips, electricity and technical personnel. Investors therefore need to consider not only how quickly OpenAI’s revenue is growing, but also whether that growth can eventually cover its operating expenses and long-term infrastructure commitments.

The revenue projection comes as competition intensifies between OpenAI and Anthropic, both of which are seeking to expand their commercial operations and considering future stock-market listings. Strong enterprise demand could help OpenAI increase its income, but annualized revenue is an estimate based on a recent period rather than the amount the company has already earned over a complete financial year. It does not, by itself, establish profitability or guarantee that the company will meet its target. Investors will be watching future financial disclosures to determine whether customer growth can justify the enormous costs associated with developing increasingly capable AI systems. If OpenAI reaches its projected $70 billion annualized revenue rate by December, it would mark a major milestone for the company. For now, the figure remains a forecast, and its achievement will depend on continued growth in consumer and enterprise demand.