Part 4/16:
On the revenue side, media reports suggest that OpenAI generated about $4.3 billion in revenue during the first half of 2025, with projections estimating $12.7 billion for the full year. If these figures hold, the company’s losses in the third quarter alone could be over $8 billion, revealing that their operational costs far outweigh revenues.
The Cost-Intensive Nature of AI Development
A core contributor to OpenAI's financial woes is its insatiable appetite for computing power. Developing and maintaining advanced AI models—like the latest Sora 2 video generator—is immensely costly. Sora 2, launched in September 2025, boasts enhanced capabilities such as longer, higher-fidelity videos with synchronized audio and realistic motion. But such sophistication comes at a price.