Sam Altman Says ‘Enough’ to Questions About OpenAI’s Revenue

Why It Matters

The remarks underscore OpenAI’s robust cash flow and long‑term growth outlook despite massive capex, shaping investor sentiment and the timing of a potential public listing. They also highlight the deepening strategic tie‑up with Microsoft, which could cement both firms’ positions in the emerging AI infrastructure market.

Summary

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told a podcast that the company’s annual revenue is "well more" than the reported $13 billion and is growing steeply, while the firm faces over $1 trillion in compute‑infrastructure commitments for the next decade. He brushed off detailed revenue queries, warned critics they could short the stock, and denied any concrete IPO timeline, though he hinted at a possible $100 billion revenue target by 2027‑2029. Altman also emphasized OpenAI’s ambition to become a major AI cloud provider, expand a consumer‑device business, and monetize AI‑driven scientific automation. Microsoft’s Satya Nadella echoed that OpenAI has consistently exceeded the business plans shared with Microsoft as an investor.