Revenue Discrepancy
OpenAI has reportedly told investors that its actual annualized revenue is roughly $20 billion lower than earlier estimates suggested, following previous reports putting the figure near $70 billion.
According to the Financial Times, the company clarified to investors that its annualized revenue is approaching $50 billion. The higher $70 billion figure stemmed from investor attempts to draw a direct comparison with rival lab Anthropic's annualized figures.
Accounting Differences
The disparity partly highlights differing methodologies between the two AI labs, as Anthropic counts sales made through its cloud partners while OpenAI does not use this approach.
TechCrunch reached out to OpenAI for comment.
Financial Pressure and Funding
Revenue figures remain a central metric as OpenAI seeks to balance extensive financial backing, which included a $122 billion funding round in March. Leaked financial documents previously indicated substantial expenditures surpassing prior earnings, while potential public market plans have reportedly been deferred to early 2027.
