OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company behind the widely used chatbot ChatGPT, is reporting a significant resurgence in user growth and product momentum. According to internal communications viewed by CNBC, CEO Sam Altman has informed employees that the platform is once again seeing substantial expansion, a critical development as the company navigates an increasingly competitive landscape populated by rivals such as Google and Anthropic.
This internal confirmation of growth comes at a pivotal financial moment for the organization. Sources indicate that OpenAI is currently in the process of finalizing a massive fundraising round that could total $100 billion. The combination of accelerating user adoption and potential capital injection marks a significant chapter for the company as it seeks to solidify its dominance in the generative AI sector.
ChatGPT Returns to Double-Digit Monthly Growth
In a message sent to employees on Friday via the internal messaging platform Slack, Sam Altman highlighted that ChatGPT is “back to exceeding 10% monthly growth.” This metric serves as a key performance indicator for the company, suggesting that efforts to refine and improve the chatbot are resonating with its massive user base.
Currently, ChatGPT boasts more than 800 million weekly users. Despite this massive scale, the company has faced stiff competition in recent months, prompting internal restructuring and a renewed focus on product development. To maintain this momentum, Altman revealed that the company is preparing to launch “an updated Chat model” within ChatGPT as early as this week.
The “Code Red” Initiative
The return to growth follows a period of intense internal focus. In December, OpenAI declared a “code red” situation designed to prioritize improvements to ChatGPT. This strategic shift involved temporarily sidelining several other projects to concentrate resources on the core chatbot product. The latest growth figures suggest that this reallocation of resources has begun to yield the desired results.
Success in Coding Tools and the “Codex” Surge
A major battlefield in the AI war has been computer coding assistance. Altman’s recent communications to staff placed heavy emphasis on the performance of OpenAI’s coding product, known as Codex.
According to the internal Slack message, usage of Codex grew approximately 50% week-over-week. This surge follows the launch of a new model, GPT-5.3-Codex, along with a stand-alone application designed specifically for users with Apple computers. Altman described the growth of Codex as “insane,” noting that the previous week had been a “great week” for the company’s product adoption.
Competition with Anthropic
This growth in coding tools is directly relevant to OpenAI’s competition with Anthropic, a rival AI firm. Anthropic’s “Claude Code” has seen a wave of adoption over the last year, pressuring OpenAI to respond. In private meetings with investors, OpenAI executives have been circulating charts based on internal data that purportedly show Codex beginning to eat into Claude Code’s market share.
Strategic Shift: Introduction of Advertisements
In a significant shift to its business model, OpenAI is set to officially begin testing advertisements within ChatGPT on Monday. This development was confirmed by a person familiar with the matter who requested anonymity due to confidentiality constraints.
Ad Format and Revenue Expectations
The company has outlined specific parameters for how these ads will appear to users:
- The ads will be clearly labeled.
- They will appear at the bottom of the chatbot’s answers.
- They will not influence the content of ChatGPT’s responses.
Regarding the financial impact, the source indicated that OpenAI expects advertising to eventually make up less than half of its revenue in the long term. This move places OpenAI in direct competition for digital ad spend with incumbents like Google and Meta, as well as Amazon, which has become a larger player in the ad space in recent years.
The Super Bowl Controversy
The move to introduce ads comes immediately following a contentious week involving Anthropic. During the Super Bowl, Anthropic ran commercials that poked fun at OpenAI’s decision to run ads. In response, Sam Altman took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to criticize the commercials, labeling them “deceptive.” He stated that OpenAI would “obviously never run ads in the way Anthropic depicts them.”
Closing in on $100 Billion in New Funding
Beyond product updates, OpenAI is deep in negotiations for a historic influx of capital. Altman and CFO Sarah Friar have been meeting with investors to sell the company’s growth story, aiming to wrap up a fundraising round that could reach $100 billion.
Investor Breakdown
The funding round is reported to be fluid, but current discussions involve some of the largest names in global technology and finance:
- Amazon: Is in talks to invest up to $50 billion.
- SoftBank: Has discussed contributing another $30 billion. This follows a previous contribution of $30 billion as part of a $41 billion round closed in March.
- Microsoft and Nvidia: Are expected to participate in the first part of the closing round.
The funding is expected to close in two parts. The first tranche would include capital from Microsoft, Nvidia, and potentially Amazon, with subsequent contributions from participants like SoftBank following later.
Pitching the Growth Narrative to Investors
To secure this level of investment, OpenAI executives are highlighting several key strengths during private meetings. According to sources familiar with the discussions, the pitch focuses on:
- Consumer Strength: The 800 million weekly users and returning growth rates.
- Enterprise Business: Growing adoption among businesses.
- Compute Access: The company’s ability to secure the necessary hardware to power its models.
One source noted that fundraising talks are expected to “heat up” over the next two weeks.
Conclusion
OpenAI enters February 2026 at a critical juncture. With CEO Sam Altman confirming a return to double-digit monthly growth and a new model launch imminent, the company is aggressively defending its market position against rivals like Anthropic. Simultaneously, the potential closing of a $100 billion funding round involving Amazon, SoftBank, and Microsoft would provide the massive capital reserves necessary to sustain its infrastructure buildout and product development. As the company begins testing ads this week, the industry will be watching closely to see how OpenAI balances revenue generation with user experience in its next phase of expansion.