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OpenAI’s leaked 2025 filings show a $20.9 billion operating loss on $13.07 billion revenue, highlighting a widening spend gap ahead of its IPO.
OpenAI’s audited 2025 financials reveal a $20.92 billion loss from operations on $13.07 billion of revenue, underscoring a spending surge that dwarfs its growth as the company prepares for an IPO【2】.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Revenue (2025) | $13.07 billion |
| Operating loss (2025) | $20.92 billion |
| R&D expense (2025) | $19.18 billion |
| Sales & marketing (2025) | $5.73 billion |
OpenAI’s top line jumped 253 % year‑over‑year, from $3.7 billion in 2024 to $13.07 billion in 2025, and monthly revenue was nearing $2 billion by year‑end【2】. Yet the cost side accelerated faster: research and development rose from $7.81 billion to $19.18 billion, while sales and marketing surged from $1.11 billion to $5.73 billion. The “cost of revenue” line—largely compute spend for inference—climbed from $2.65 billion to $7.5 billion, reflecting the heavy compute bill of serving more prompts【2】.
The headline net loss of $38.53 billion includes a $41.55 billion non‑cash charge tied to the fair‑value adjustment of convertible interests and warrant liabilities, a one‑time accounting item that inflates the loss figure【4】. Stripping that out leaves the operating loss of $20.92 billion as the core metric investors will scrutinize. The operating loss, while still massive, improved on a percentage basis—from 237 % of revenue in 2024 to 160 % in 2025—suggesting marginal efficiency gains as scale increases【2】.
OpenAI’s spending spree comes as rivals such as Anthropic are edging toward profitability, with Anthropic reportedly close to an operating profit in the current quarter【1】. At the same time, a 42‑state coalition has subpoenaed OpenAI over chatbot safety concerns, adding regulatory risk to the IPO narrative【3】. The company also secured $867 million from SoftBank and $303 million from Microsoft in 2025, and paid Microsoft over $10.5 billion for R&D, likely for large‑model training【1】.
The leaked numbers paint a picture of a company racing ahead on revenue while its expense base expands even faster, raising questions about the sustainability of its growth model and the appetite of public investors for a business that still burns tens of billions each year.
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AI-assisted synthesis by the TrendWatcher Editorial Desk · sourced from 4 outlets · Jun 18, 2026 · How we report
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has expressed that he expected Congress to create a basic framework for advanced AI following his 2023 testimony, but he has also stated that OpenAI is capable of self-regulating. As of September 2026, OpenAI is working with other labs on voluntary safety efforts, noting that lawmakers have struggled to regulate the technology without slowing innovation.
OpenAI aims to advance technology toward superintelligence, also known as Artificial General Intelligence, in a way that benefits humans. The company states that this development includes protecting humanity from the existential risks associated with such powerful systems.
Critics argue that OpenAI and other tech firms cannot be trusted to prioritize public safety over profit and that leaving critical decisions to a small group of wealthy individuals is dangerous. As of September 2026, some researchers and political figures maintain that independent, non-profit oversight is necessary to prevent potential catastrophic outcomes.