OpenAI says its ads business is booming as it marches toward an IPO

OpenAI says its advertising business is scaling quickly as it heads toward an initial public offering. The company reported that ChatGPT ad sales reached a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate in under 200 days. In a statement, OpenAI described ads as one pillar of a diversified model alongside consumer subscriptions, enterprise offerings, and usage-based APIs, adding that ad revenue now represents a “material share of the business.” The milestone arrives while OpenAI seeks investor interest ahead of an IPO that could happen as soon as this year. OpenAI’s ad push has drawn criticism, including a Super Bowl jab from rival Anthropic. OpenAI also said a self-service ad tool is launching in India, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.