
OpenAI reportedly generated $10 billion in revenue during the third quarter of 2026, marking its first quarter above that threshold as demand for its latest AI models increased. The figure represents nearly 50% growth from the previous quarter, according to a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with the company’s financial performance.
Revenue increased from approximately $6.7 billion in the second quarter, when OpenAI recorded growth of around 18% from the preceding three months. The acceleration follows increased adoption of its AI products and a stronger focus on enterprise customers.
OpenAI Reports Stronger Revenue Growth Despite Continued Losses
OpenAI’s adjusted operating margin improved from negative 150% in the second quarter to negative 109% in the third quarter. However, the company continued to report substantial losses, with adjusted operating losses increasing from approximately $10.1 billion to $10.9 billion, according to financial details reported by Reuters.
The figures indicate that OpenAI generated additional revenue while reducing its losses relative to sales. Nevertheless, the company continues to face significant costs associated with developing and operating advanced AI systems.
Bloomberg also reported that OpenAI’s annualized revenue run rate reached approximately $50 billion. This measure estimates yearly revenue based on the company’s current sales performance rather than revenue already collected over 12 months.
Enterprise AI Products Drive Revenue Expansion
OpenAI has recently adjusted its pricing strategy, introduced discounts, and expanded its range of enterprise-focused AI products. Improvements to its language models and AI agents have also contributed to demand from organizations seeking to automate business processes.
The company initially gained widespread adoption through ChatGPT’s consumer audience, which now exceeds one billion users. However, the platform includes a substantial population of free users, making paid subscriptions and business services important sources of revenue.
OpenAI has increased its focus on corporate customers as competition intensifies in the enterprise AI market. These customers typically require advanced models, reliable infrastructure, and tools that integrate with existing business operations.
Anthropic Maintains Lead in Reported Enterprise AI Revenue
OpenAI’s growth comes as rival Anthropic continues to expand its enterprise business. The Claude developer reportedly generated $17 billion in third-quarter revenue and reached an annualized revenue run rate of $81 billion by the end of October.
However, the companies calculate their annualized revenue differently, complicating direct comparisons. Anthropic includes sales generated through cloud partners, while OpenAI reports only its share of certain partner transactions.
Anthropic is also preparing for a potential initial public offering that could value the company at approximately $1.4 trillion. Both companies face competition from AI models developed by Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta, alongside lower-cost open-source alternatives.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.
