OpenAI annualized revenue is roughly $50B, below the nearly $70B reported in September
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What happened
On October 8, 2026 the Financial Times reported that OpenAI's annualized revenue was roughly $50 billion, about $20 billion below earlier investor estimates. Bloomberg News, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that OpenAI was on track to generate annualized revenue of roughly $50 billion based on its current performance, an uptick from the prior year. Yahoo Finance relayed the FT report. Bloomberg noted that some outlets had reported the previous month that OpenAI was already on track for nearly $70 billion.
Both articles tied the gap to comparisons with rival Anthropic. Bloomberg said the difference stemmed from attempts by OpenAI's investors to compare its figures more directly with Anthropic's, including how OpenAI accounts for sales through cloud providers. Yahoo Finance, citing the FT, said investors first tried to determine whether OpenAI's August sales reached $40 billion, then added OpenAI's reported growth to that estimate to reach $70 billion, and that the two companies calculate annualized revenue differently. Yahoo Finance also gave Anthropic's annualized sales as $65 billion. The figure is an annualized run rate attributed to people familiar with the matter, not an audited result.
Key points
- OpenAI's annualized revenue was roughly $50B, the FT and Bloomberg News reported on October 8, 2026.12
- The figure was about $20B below earlier investor estimates of nearly $70B.12
- Bloomberg tied the gap to investors comparing OpenAI with Anthropic, including cloud-provider sales accounting.2
- Yahoo Finance gave Anthropic's annualized sales as $65B.1
Why it matters
The roughly $50 billion run rate replaces a nearly $70 billion figure that circulated in September, so valuation comparisons built on the higher number rest on a different basis.
The reports attribute the difference to how annualized revenue is calculated, including treatment of cloud-provider sales, not to a fall in sales; Bloomberg described the figure as an uptick from the prior year.
The figure comes from press reports citing people familiar with the matter, not from an OpenAI filing, so buyers of private shares work from reported estimates rather than audited revenue.
In context
| Round | Date | Post-money valuation | Raised | Led by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funding round | Oct 2, 2024 | $157B | $6.6B | Thrive Capital |
| Funding round | Mar 31, 2025 | $300B | $40B | SoftBank |
| Funding round | Feb 27, 2026 | $852B | $122B | a16z, D. E. Shaw Ventures, MGX, SoftBank, T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., and TPG |
Updated
Fact-check
- OpenAI's annualized revenue was roughly $50 billion, according to reports on October 8, 2026.Confirmed by [2] Bloomberg News: on track to generate annualized revenue of roughly $50 billion, per people familiar. Confirmed by [1] Yahoo Finance citing the FT: roughly $50 billion. Both are dated October 8, 2026.Verified
- The figure is about $20 billion below earlier investor estimates of nearly $70 billion.Confirmed by [1] Yahoo Finance citing the FT: about $20 billion below prior estimates of $70 billion. [2] Bloomberg News: some outlets reported last month nearly $70 billion.Verified
- The gap stems from investors comparing OpenAI's figures with Anthropic's, including how OpenAI accounts for cloud-provider sales.Confirmed by [2] Bloomberg News: the discrepancy is due to investors' attempts to compare OpenAI more directly with Anthropic, including cloud-provider sales accounting. [1] Yahoo Finance says the two companies calculate annualized revenue differently.Verified
- Investors first tried to determine whether August sales reached $40 billion and then added reported growth to reach $70 billion.Confirmed by [1] Yahoo Finance citing the FT, which describes the $40 billion August estimate and the added growth; not addressed in the readable part of [2] Bloomberg News, which does not contradict it.Verified
- Anthropic's annualized sales are $65 billion.Confirmed by [1] Yahoo Finance: Anthropic's annualized sales are $65 billion. Not addressed in the readable part of [2] Bloomberg News.Verified
Sources
- [1]Yahoo Finance (citing FT) (opens in a new tab)OpenAI's annualized revenue $20 billion lower than prior investor estimatesOpenAI and Anthropic calculate their annualized revenue differently.
- [2]Bloomberg News (opens in a new tab)OpenAI's Revenue Run Rate Nears $50 Billion, Less Than Reportedon track to generate annualized revenue of roughly $50 billion
