Key Points:
- The launch of GPT-4o has driven OpenAI’s highest-ever revenue spike on mobile, despite free web availability.
- Mobile users are encouraged to subscribe to the $19.99 monthly ChatGPT Plus to access GPT-4o features.
- The ChatGPT mobile app netted $4.2 million in revenue within five days post-launch, predominantly from the U.S. market.
Consumer demand for advanced AI technology is intensifying, evidenced by OpenAI’s unprecedented revenue spike following the launch of its flagship model, GPT-4o. Released on May 13, GPT-4o offers capabilities in text, speech, and video with real-time responsiveness and various emotive voice options, marking a significant leap in AI functionality. Despite its free availability on the web, the new model has spurred a surge in mobile app subscriptions.
While OpenAI promised GPT-4o to free-tier users, this offer excluded the ChatGPT mobile app. Mobile users eager to explore GPT-4o’s advanced features are prompted to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus for $19.99 per month. This strategic move has led to an influx of mobile subscriptions, driving the largest revenue increase OpenAI has ever experienced on mobile platforms.
According to data from Appfigures, the ChatGPT mobile app’s net revenue surged by 22% on the launch day of GPT-4o, continuing to rise in the subsequent days. By Tuesday, revenue peaked at $900,000, nearly doubling the app’s daily average of $491,000. This growth resulted in a total of $4.2 million in net revenue from May 13 to 17, the highest recorded for the app to date.
This spike highlights substantial consumer interest in AI advancements, particularly on mobile devices, even at a premium cost. The majority of this new revenue, 81%, came from Apple’s App Store, with the U.S. leading the market at $1.8 million. Other significant contributors included Germany, the U.K., Japan, France, Canada, Korea, Brazil, Australia, and Turkey. This remarkable revenue growth underscores the escalating demand for cutting-edge AI technology and its monetization potential in the mobile sector.
