OpenAI’s ChatGPT, a prominent artificial intelligence chatbot, is expected to see an increase in its subscription costs for users of the ChatGPT Plus service. A recent report indicates that the company is planning to raise the monthly subscription fee by $2, which is approximately Rs. 167. Furthermore, this price adjustment may only be the beginning, with projections suggesting that the subscription could rise to $44—around Rs. 3,685—by the year 2029. This move appears to be driven by OpenAI’s aspirations for significant revenue growth and the high operational costs associated with running its services.
ChatGPT Subscriptions to Reportedly Get More Expensive
The New York Times reports that the subscription fee for ChatGPT Plus is set to be raised by $2 by the end of 2024. According to financial documents reviewed by the publication, the expected monthly cost for the service could reach $44 by the conclusion of 2029, representing a notable increase from the current $20 in the United States and Rs. 1,950 in India.
This anticipated price increase is part of OpenAI’s strategy to achieve a revenue target of $100 billion—approximately Rs. 8.3 lakh crore—by 2029, primarily relying on subscription services to drive this growth. Should the company succeed in meeting this goal, its annual earnings could rival those of major firms such as Reliance Industries, Nestlé, or Comcast. Reports suggest that OpenAI has around 10 million subscribers for its ChatGPT Plus service.
The documents shared with investors reveal that OpenAI is currently generating “billions” from ChatGPT and anticipates a substantial increase in revenue over the coming years. Moreover, the company is reportedly in the midst of a funding round.
Despite the ambitious revenue projections, OpenAI is facing challenges in managing its operational costs. Reports indicate that the company could incur losses of approximately $5 billion—around Rs. 41.8 thousand crore—this year, largely due to expenses related to its AI services. Significant expenditures include employee salaries and office leases.
Cloud computing services also represent a major cost for OpenAI, which relies on Microsoft’s infrastructure. Although the partnership generates about $13 billion—approximately Rs. 1.08 lakh crore—annually, a substantial portion of this revenue is allocated to maintaining the cloud processing operations.
