Sergey Diakov
⬤ ChatGPT has seen explosive growth in weekly active users throughout 2024 and into 2025, but the number of paying customers hasn't kept pace, according to analysis from The Information. Internal challenges at OpenAI may have slowed down the company's ability to convert free users into paid subscribers. The gap is striking: while overall usage skyrocketed into the hundreds of millions, consumer subscriptions grew at a much slower rate.
⬤ The data shows ChatGPT's weekly active users climbed steadily, reaching several hundred million by mid-2025. But paid subscribers increased only gradually during the same period. The conversion rate tells the story: for every 100 weekly active users, only about 5 pay for ChatGPT Pro or Plus services. This gap persisted even as OpenAI rolled out major model updates like GPT-4o and GPT-5.
⬤ Internal priorities at OpenAI appear to have contributed to this disconnect. The research team focused heavily on complex, slower reasoning models that didn't align well with what average users actually wanted—fast, simple responses. Meanwhile, OpenAI reportedly deprioritized popular features like image generation, giving competitors like Google room to catch up. Despite continuous product updates, there was no clear turning point in paid subscriber growth.
⬤ The challenge is clear: converting massive scale into sustainable revenue. ChatGPT's growing user base proves there's huge demand, but slow paid adoption shows users are sensitive to product features, focus, and competitive options. How OpenAI balances its ambitious research goals with mass-market appeal will likely determine its future revenue growth and competitive position in the evolving AI platform market.
Sergey Diakov
