On platform X, the Chief Operator of OpenAI, Brad Lightcap, announced that the number of pay-as-you-go users of ChatGPT had jumped from 3 million in June to over 5 million, an increase of approximately 67 per cent over the same period. Lightcap states that ChatGPT has continued to grow in various areas, including small start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises and wealth 500 enterprises, highlighting the strong demand for AI technology in enterprise-level markets.
Brad Lightcap said: “The paid commercial users on Chatgpt have exceeded 5 million, up from 3 million in June. We have seen continued growth in the various subdivisions of the market, from small start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises to wealth 500 enterprises. We are working to make it easier and faster for companies of all sizes to implement and succeed. A shift we have seen recently has been from pilot and PoC to full deployment. Since the introduction of flexible credit-based pricing, client deployment has increased fivefold. We’re still in the early stages — more will come!”
There is an increased demand for AI-driven automation, client services and data analysis, in particular for customization of API and the enterprise version of ChatGPT (to support advanced security and data privacy). OpenAI previously disclosed that annual subscriptions to the enterprise version ranged from $20 per month to $60 per month, and that 5 million users could generate an annual income of approximately $1.2 billion to $3.6 billion (assuming 50 per cent of the business version).
Micro starters can use ChatGPT to generate marketing files and product descriptions to reduce operating costs, and SMEs can automate customer support through the deployment of ChatGPT to process routine queries. For industry giants, such as Morgan Chase and Pfizer, ChatGPT integrates internal process optimization and risk assessment to enhance decision-making efficiency. It is worth mentioning that OpenAI released GPT-4o Mini in May 2025, which enhanced the multi-modular processing capacity (text, image) and promoted business adoption.
The growth pressures of ChatGPT, Google Gemini and Grok of XAI, have prompted these competitors to accelerate the development of business solutions. According to Gartner, corporate AI expenditure is projected to reach $50 billion in 2025, and ChatGPT growth is consistent with its trend.
