OpenAI’s artificial intelligence application, ChatGPT, has achieved a historic milestone, with total global consumer spending reaching US$3 billion, or approximately Rp50.1 trillion. This achievement was accomplished in just 31 months following the initial launch of its iOS version in May 2023. Such rapid growth positions ChatGPT as one of the fastest-monetizing applications worldwide, surpassing many global social media and entertainment platforms. For comparison, an Appfigures report cited by TechCrunch on Friday (December 19, 2025) noted that TikTok took 58 months to reach a similar level of consumer spending.

Meanwhile, popular streaming services such as Disney+ and HBO Max required 42 months and 46 months, respectively, to achieve the same milestone. Throughout this year, ChatGPT’s dominance in the smartphone app market—across both iOS and Android platforms—has continued to strengthen. Data indicate that the bulk of this revenue was generated in 2025 alone. Global consumers are estimated to have spent around US$2.48 billion, or roughly Rp41.4 trillion, on the ChatGPT app during 2025.

This figure represents a year-on-year increase of 408% compared with revenue of US$487 million, or about Rp8.1 trillion, recorded in the previous year. The scale of this growth appears even more striking when viewed against ChatGPT’s early performance. In 2023, its first year of operation, the app generated approximately Rp716 billion in revenue. That figure then surged by 1,036% in 2024 before accelerating sharply again in 2025.

ChatGPT’s financial success has been largely driven by an aggressive paid subscription strategy. Mobile users commonly purchase subscription plans such as ChatGPT Plus, priced at around Rp334,000 per month, as well as the higher-tier ChatGPT Pro plan costing approximately Rp3.34 million per month, which targets advanced users and professionals. Beyond individual subscriptions, OpenAI is also exploring additional revenue streams. The company recently introduced an internal app marketplace that is expected to be monetized in the future. In addition, the potential introduction of advertising is being considered as a next strategic step.

Although ChatGPT currently leads the market, competition in the AI sector is becoming increasingly intense. xAI, through its Grok application, has demonstrated revenue traction comparable to ChatGPT when measured against other AI competitors. Since monetization began, Grok has emerged as the closest rival in terms of cumulative revenue growth speed at a similar point in time. Meanwhile, other major players are pursuing different strategies. Google is undergoing a significant transition by integrating advertising into AI-powered features such as AI Mode, AI Overviews, AI Shopping, and the Discover page. Anthropic, on the other hand, is focusing more heavily on the enterprise segment and is projected to be on track to generate up to US$70 billion, or around Rp1.169 trillion, in revenue by 2028.