Consumer demand for cutting-edge AI technology is surging. The launch of OpenAI’s latest model, GPT-4o, has led to the highest revenue spike ever for the ChatGPT mobile app, even though the model is free on the web. Released on May 13, GPT-4o can handle text, speech, and video, delivering real-time responsiveness and a range of emotive voice options, making it significantly more potent than its predecessors. This innovation has driven more users to upgrade to OpenAI’s paid subscription, as new data from app intelligence firm Appfigures revealed.
Key Details
Despite OpenAI’s promise to offer GPT-4o to users on its free tier, this offer does not extend to the ChatGPT mobile app. Mobile users must upgrade to the $19.99 monthly subscription, ChatGPT Plus, to access the latest features of GPT-4o. This strategic decision has resulted in a notable increase in demand for subscriptions among mobile users, leading to the most significant revenue spike OpenAI has observed on mobile devices.
Revenue Growth Statistics
On the day of the GPT-4o launch, the ChatGPT mobile app’s net revenue surged by 22% and continued to grow in the following days. According to Appfigures, net income reached $900,000 on Tuesday, almost double the app’s daily average of $491,000. This figure represents the revenue after Apple and Google take their commission.
Before this, ChatGPT's second-largest revenue spike occurred in April. Still, it was not as substantial, marking just an abnormally high revenue day rather than a dramatic increase.
From May 13 to 17, the ChatGPT mobile app generated $4.2 million in net revenue across the App Store and Google Play. This period marks the most significant revenue surge the app has experienced to date. The data indicates strong consumer interest in experimenting with the latest AI advancements on mobile despite the higher cost compared to a Netflix subscription.
Geographic Breakdown
Apple’s App Store was the primary contributor to the new revenue, accounting for 81% of the total. The U.S. emerged as the top market, generating $1.8 million in revenue. Other leading markets included Germany ($282,000), the U.K. ($212,000), Japan ($210,000), France ($147,000), Canada ($134,000), Korea ($123,000), Brazil ($117,000), Australia ($102,000), and Turkey ($89,000).
Conclusion
The remarkable revenue growth following the launch of GPT-4o underscores a strong and growing consumer demand for advanced AI technology, particularly on mobile platforms. OpenAI's strategic decision to monetize the latest features through a subscription model is proving successful, positioning the company for continued growth in the competitive AI market.