OpenAI accelerates revenue to $40 billion: record pace amid personnel turbulence
OpenAI is demonstrating impressive financial momentum: the company's annual recurring revenue (ARR) has reached $40 billion. This figure is double the forecasts made at the end of 2025 and becomes a key argument for investors ahead of a potential initial public offering (IPO).
What's behind the explosive growth?
An analysis of the revenue structure shows that three areas make the main contribution. First and foremost, there is steady growth in the number of ChatGPT subscribers. Additionally, sales of developer tools are rapidly increasing, and the young advertising business is already starting to generate tangible profits.
Notably, in July, the company's revenue grew by more than 20% compared to June. That month was so successful that it brought in more revenue than the entire second quarter. Company president Greg Brockman confirmed this momentum in communications with employees.
A key role was also played by adjustments to pricing policy. Lowering the cost of services for corporate clients, made possible by cost optimization, not only did not lead to a decline in revenue but also attracted new major customers. Additional momentum was provided by AI agents: Codex for programmers and ChatGPT Work for office teams are driving users to upgrade to more expensive plans.
Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar previously projected revenue of over $20 billion by the end of 2025. Now, management aims to generate half of its revenue from corporate clients by the end of the current year. The company has not officially commented on the $40 billion figure, but it is confirmed by informed sources.
Personnel changes: the price of success?
However, amid financial successes, the company is facing a serious staffing problem. In the coming weeks, OpenAI will be left by Chief Revenue Officer Denise Dresser, who joined from Slack in December 2025 and worked for only about eight months. Her departure is just part of a larger trend: over the past few months, the company has also been left by Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap, the head of ethics, the head of the security division, and the Chief Strategy Officer.
Global sales will now be led by Dali Rajic, who previously served as president of the cybersecurity company Wiz. Greg Brockman has taken on some management functions in an attempt to stabilize the situation.
My take on the situation
OpenAI's current momentum is impressive, but executive-level turnover is a worrying signal. While revenue is doubling, the loss of key managers could slow operational efficiency. Given that competitor Anthropic plans an IPO in October with a valuation above $2 trillion, OpenAI's ability to sustain growth rates while simultaneously stabilizing its team will be a decisive factor for its stock market valuation. The question is whether financial strength will outweigh reputational and organizational risks.