OpenAI Aims for “Practical Adoption” in 2026 to Drive AI Monetization and Growth

OpenAI is setting its sights on “practical adoption” in 2026, according to CFO Sarah Friar. In a recent blog post, Friar emphasized that the company’s top priority is to close the gap between what AI can do today and how it is applied by people, businesses, and governments. She highlighted immediate opportunities in health, science, and enterprise, where better intelligence can directly improve outcomes.

The AI startup has experienced unprecedented growth over the past two years. OpenAI’s compute capacity expanded from 0.2 gigawatts (GW) in 2023 to 1.9 GW in 2025, while its annual revenue run rate surged from $2 billion to over $20 billion. “This is never-before-seen growth at such scale,” Friar wrote, noting that additional compute would have accelerated both customer adoption and monetization.

Friar also outlined OpenAI’s strategy to scale its services like ChatGPT while maintaining the infrastructure necessary to support them. The company now works with a diversified ecosystem of compute providers, moving beyond reliance on a single partner. “We can plan, finance, and deploy capacity with confidence in a market where access to compute defines who can scale,” she said, highlighting the discipline required for such large-scale operations.

The blog comes amid scrutiny over the massive investments needed to power AI. Key deals, like the $100 billion commitment from Nvidia to provide 10 GW of AI systems, underscore the energy and resources required. To put it in perspective, 10 GW roughly equals the annual electricity use of 8 million U.S. households. Despite the scale, Friar stressed that growth is not perfectly linear and securing compute capacity requires planning years in advance.

Looking ahead, OpenAI plans to test ads for some ChatGPT users in the U.S. and may pursue a public debut later this year. Friar emphasized that monetization must feel “native to the experience” and add real value. She envisions a future where AI drives new economic models in scientific research, drug discovery, energy systems, and financial modeling, making 2026 the year OpenAI bridges cutting-edge technology with practical, everyday adoption.

source: cnbc