OpenAI tops $25B revenue—and prepares for an IPO: this week’s OpenAI news

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OpenAI has surpassed $25 billion in annualized revenue, is preparing for a potential IPO and is building new technologies that could reshape how developers and businesses use AI. At the same time, competition is intensifying and OpenAI is making moves to reduce its reliance on partners like Microsoft.

The Information's reveals how the companies building AI are positioning for the next phase of competition. Our journalists are often first to break the stories that shape the industry's next moves.

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OpenAI's Growth and Potential IPO

OpenAI recently surpassed $25 billion in annualized revenue, up 17% since the end of 2025. But its lead is narrowing as rival Anthropic crosses $19 billion, signaling that the AI market is rapidly becoming a two-player race.

OpenAI has hired law firms Cooley and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to prepare for a potential IPO that could come as soon as late 2026—one of the most anticipated listings in tech.

Reducing Dependence on Microsoft

OpenAI is developing its own internal alternative to Microsoft's GitHub after outages repeatedly disrupted engineers' work. Employees have discussed eventually offering the tool to outside developers—putting OpenAI in direct competition with a core Microsoft product.

A Shift in Strategy

OpenAI is also scaling back plans to turn ChatGPT into a direct shopping destination, instead directing transactions to third-party apps that integrate with the chatbot.

Latest Agent Model

Meanwhile, the company is pushing new technical frontiers—from a model with "extreme" reasoning capabilities to a bidirectional audio system designed to power more natural voice assistants.

Why It Matters

OpenAI is racing to strengthen its position ahead of a potential IPO—expanding its technology stack, reducing reliance on partners and competing more aggressively with rivals. The outcome could reshape the balance of power in AI.

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