OpenAI hopes paying subscribers for ChatGPT will reach 220 million in the next five years. | Image: X

Artificial intelligence firm OpenAI has projected that at least 220 million of ChatGPT's weekly users will pay for a subscription, The Information reported on Tuesday, citing a person familiar with the matter.

OpenAI projects that by 2030, 8.5% of an estimated 2.6 billion weekly users, or around 220 million people, will subscribe to its chatbot, positioning ChatGPT among the world's largest subscription businesses, according to the report.

As of July, about 35 million users, which is roughly 5% of ChatGPT's weekly active base, paid for "Plus" or "Pro" plans at $20 and $200 a month, respectively, the report added.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

While OpenAI's annualised revenue run rate is expected to reach about $20 billion by this year-end, losses in the company are also mounting, sources have told Reuters.

The Information had reported in September that OpenAI generated around $4.3 billion in revenue in the first half of 2025, about 16% more than it generated all of last year, and it burned $2.5 billion in large part due to its research and development costs for developing AI and for running ChatGPT.

OpenAI expects to generate about 20% of its revenue from new products such as shopping- and advertising-driven features. This week, it introduced a personal shopping assistant for ChatGPT, a move that could pave the way for monetisation through ads or commission-based sales, the report added.