OpenAI Expands Enterprise Reach Amid Google Competition, Reveals Significant Usage Growth
OpenAI announced a remarkable surge in enterprise usage of its AI solutions, revealing an eightfold increase in ChatGPT message volume since November 2024 and reporting that employees save up to an hour daily. This report comes shortly after CEO Sam Altman issued an internal “code red” memo highlighting Google’s competitive threat.
The findings illustrate OpenAI’s strategy to position itself as the preeminent leader in enterprise AI, despite rising competition. Currently, 36% of U.S. businesses utilize ChatGPT Enterprise, compared to 14.3% for its competitor Anthropic, according to the Ramp AI Index. However, OpenAI’s revenue remains heavily reliant on consumer subscriptions, a segment facing pressure from Google’s Gemini and rival firms like Anthropic, which primarily source their income from B2B sales and traditional software providers.
OpenAI’s commitment to infrastructure investment, totaling $1.4 trillion over the coming years, underscores the necessity for enterprise growth within its business model. Ronnie Chatterji, OpenAI’s chief economist, emphasized the economic impact of technology adoption by firms, likening it to transformative historical innovations.
Key findings from OpenAI’s report indicate an increasing integration of AI into enterprise workflows. Usage of reasoning tokens has escalated by 320 times within a year, suggesting companies are employing AI for more intricate problem-solving or extensively experimenting with new technologies.
Further insights reveal substantial shifts in how firms deploy OpenAI’s tools. The use of custom GPTs has surged 19 times this year, now comprising 20% of enterprise communications. OpenAI cited digital bank BBVA as an example, efficiently using over 4,000 custom GPTs.
Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s COO, noted the significant customization possibilities, allowing organizations to tailor technology for their needs. The adoption of these tools has resulted in reported daily time savings of 40 to 60 minutes, although this figure may not account for the time spent on system acclimatization or refining AI outputs.
The report highlights that 75% of surveyed enterprise workers believe AI is enabling them to perform tasks, including technical activities, that they previously could not manage. OpenAI also observed a 36% rise in coding-related messages outside traditional engineering sectors.
While stressing AI’s potential to democratize skills, Lightcap warned that increased coding could lead to security vulnerabilities. He pointed to the recent introduction of OpenAI’s private beta security researcher, Aardvark, as a potential solution for identifying bugs and vulnerabilities.
Despite the promising advancements, findings also indicated that even the most engaged ChatGPT Enterprise users are not fully utilizing advanced features for data analysis and reasoning. Lightcap noted that realizing the full benefits of AI requires a cultural shift and deeper integration with enterprise processes, a transition that is expected to unfold gradually.
OpenAI’s leadership acknowledged the competitive landscape while framing the challenge as an opportunity for companies lagging in AI adoption to enhance their operations significantly. As AI systems evolve, firms must recognize their potential as transformative tools, rather than merely software solutions.
