ChatGPT nears 1 billion weekly users as OpenAI reports record growth

ChatGPT has surged to 900 million weekly active users, bringing it close to the 1-billion milestone. OpenAI also revealed 50 million paid subscribers and announced a massive $110 billion private funding round, underlining the chatbot’s rapid global adoption and commercial momentum.

OpenAI has announced that ChatGPT has reached 900 million weekly active users, placing the platform within striking distance of the 1-billion mark. The company also disclosed that it now has 50 million paying subscribers, highlighting strong monetisation alongside explosive usage growth.

In a blog post released on Friday, OpenAI said subscriber additions have accelerated sharply at the start of 2026. “January and February are on track to be the largest months for new subscribers in our history,” the company noted. It added that users increasingly rely on ChatGPT to “learn, write, plan, and build,” with improvements in speed, reliability, safety, and overall performance becoming more noticeable as usage scales.

The latest figures represent a significant jump from 800 million weekly active users reported in October 2025, reflecting the chatbot’s growing role as a mainstream digital utility across education, work, and creative tasks.

OpenAI shared the milestone alongside news of a $110 billion private funding round, one of the largest ever. The round includes a $50 billion investment from Amazon, as well as $30 billion each from Nvidia and SoftBank. The funding values OpenAI at a $730 billion pre-money valuation.

The round remains open, with OpenAI indicating that additional investors are expected to join in the coming months. The fresh capital is expected to support further model development, infrastructure expansion, and product improvements as ChatGPT edges closer to becoming a billion-user platform.