OpenAI to Become a Digital Rentier: A Cut of ChatGPT Clients' Profits?

OpenAI is considering a shift from fixed subscriptions to a royalty model — payment in the form of a percentage of the profit that clients gain from using ChatGPT and the company's other tools. This was stated in a podcast by OpenAI's CFO Sarah Friar, reports 3DNews AI. The statement sparked a wave of discussion in the tech community, since it represents a fundamental departure from the monetization scheme customary for the AI market.

What OpenAI Is Proposing

Today, AI services, including ChatGPT, are monetized through a fixed subscription or pay-as-you-go billing. According to Friar, OpenAI is considering a third path: instead of a pre-set price, the company would receive a share of the profit that a client actually derives from using ChatGPT and other OpenAI tools in their business. In other words, the size of the payment would be tied not to the volume of tokens consumed or the pricing plan, but to the client's financial result. This is a shift from a universal price for all users to an individual one, dependent on how successfully a particular company has integrated AI into its processes.

Friar's Logic: Pay for Real Results

The OpenAI CFO's argument is simple: the value of an AI tool is directly determined by how much money it helps a client earn. If ChatGPT brings a company millions, it is fair for OpenAI to receive a share of that profit; if there is no tangible benefit, there shouldn't be large royalties either. This approach is positioned as a fairer assessment of the technology's value compared to a flat subscription, which doesn't account for how effectively a client uses the product. In essence, OpenAI is proposing to share the risks and rewards of AI adoption with clients, rather than simply selling access to the model.

Risks and Open Questions of the Model

The royalty scheme also has weak points, which have been raised in discussions of the initiative. First, a transparent and reliable mechanism is needed to track the profit generated specifically thanks to ChatGPT — a non-trivial task for companies with complex business processes, where AI's contribution is hard to isolate. Second, the obligation to share profits could deter startups and small businesses that aren't ready to give up a share of revenue in the early stages of growth. Third, the model creates an incentive for clients to underreport or hide part of the income generated with the help of AI in order to pay lower royalties.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the royalty model that OpenAI is considering?

It is a payment scheme in which the client pays OpenAI not a fixed subscription, but a percentage of the profit obtained thanks to using ChatGPT and the company's other tools. The greater the real financial benefit AI brings, the higher the payment, and vice versa.

Who announced

OpenAI's plans to switch to royalties, and when?

OpenAI's CFO Sarah Friar announced that such a model was being considered in a recent podcast. The company has not announced an official decision to launch it — this is a variant of a business-model change currently under consideration.

What risks does the royalty model pose for OpenAI's clients?

The main risks are the difficulty of transparently accounting for profit generated specifically by AI, the reluctance of small businesses and startups to share revenue at an early stage, and the possible temptation for clients to underreport income in order to pay less.