Since its debut in November 2022, ChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has rapidly gained global attention. Initially developed as a productivity-enhancing tool for writing essays and code using brief text prompts, the chatbot has now expanded to having a user base of 300 million weekly active users as reported.
The year 2024 marked significant developments for OpenAI, including a partnership with Apple to employ generative AI, the release of GPT-4o with voice functionality, and the launch of the text-to-video model Sora. However, the company also faced turmoil with the departure of key executives such as co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever and CTO Mira Murati. Additionally, OpenAI contended with legal challenges, such as lawsuits from newspapers owned by Alden Global Capital alleging copyright infringement and an injunction from Elon Musk to prevent its transition to a for-profit entity.
In 2025, OpenAI is focused on addressing perceptions of losing ground in the AI market to competitors like DeepSeek from China. Efforts include strengthening ties with Washington, embarking on a significant data center project, and planning what could be one of the largest funding rounds in history.
Recent updates as of April 2025 include the unveiling of Flex processing, a feature allowing slower and more cost-effective AI tasks, and the rollout of AI models o3 and o4-mini with safeguards against biological risks. OpenAI is also preparing to phase out older models like GPT-4.5, enhance coding capabilities with the introduction of the GPT-4.1 model, and develop a new social media platform.
In March 2025, OpenAI announced plans to release a new open AI language model, refined its image generation policies, and adopted standards for linking AI models with data. The upgraded image-generation capabilities and leadership changes were also notable developments.
In February 2025, OpenAI decided to integrate several model technologies into a single offering called GPT-5, discontinuing the standalone release of o3, and made significant changes to its ChatGPT web search capabilities. A new “deep research” agent was also introduced to facilitate complex research via ChatGPT.
Starting January 2025, OpenAI launched initiatives including ChatGPT Gov for U.S. agencies and an AI agent called Operator to automate various tasks. The company continued to evolve its chatbot’s features, allowing users to set reminders and customize interactions with unique traits.
Throughout its development, ChatGPT has seen substantial growth, doubling its weekly active users to 400 million by early 2025, and consistent demand for its services. Recent reports also indicate user demographic trends and revenue projections, while addressing the potential for privacy concerns and legal challenges.
