OpenAI Reportedly Just Gave Investors Bad News on Eventual Profitability

Last week, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman apparently told Time’s Alex Heath, “I think it’s a good time to slow down.” That story, published Tuesday, was about OpenAI slowing down model development in light of recent safety headaches, such as its agents apparently taking a turn for the rebellious during safety evaluations.

But OpenAI’s journey to profitability may also be slowing down, according to an anonymously sourced Wall Street Journal story published Tuesday. The Journal’s elusive “people familiar with the matter” said OpenAI told investors revenue had grown by just 18% when comparing the first and second quarters of this year. Revenue was $6.7 billion in the quarter ending in June, compared to $5.7 billion the quarter before.

Gizmodo requested a statement from OpenAI about the Wall Street Journal’s claim, but did not hear back.

The Wall Street Journal’s story contains the claim that OpenAI’s revenue news “disappointed some shareholders who had hoped the startup would show more progress catching up to rival Anthropic.” Anthropic is the gallant to OpenAI’s revenue-generating Goofus, if the anonymous OpenAI sources who spoke to the Journal are to be believed. Anthropic just reported a 130% revenue surge, and a profitable quarter—though take that with a grain of salt given Anthropic’s weird recent history of dealmaking.