ChatGPT Hits 1 Billion Users? ‘Doubled In Just Weeks’ Says OpenAI CEO

Forbes - Apr 12th, 2025
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At TED 2025, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that ChatGPT's user base has doubled in just a few weeks, now boasting approximately 800 million weekly active users. This explosive growth follows the introduction of new features, such as an image generation tool mimicking styles like Studio Ghibli. Altman's comments came during a conversation with TED curator Chris Anderson, who highlighted the rapid increase in users and questioned Altman about the potential implications of such expansion.

The discussion also touched on the ethical considerations of AI, including compensating artists for AI-generated works in their style and balancing model restrictions to prevent misuse while enhancing user responsiveness. Altman acknowledged the dual perspectives on AI's role in the workforce, suggesting that while AI could replace some jobs, it also represents a powerful tool to enhance human capabilities. OpenAI's recent development of AI agents for autonomous transactions further underscores the company's ambitious vision for AI's future role in society.

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RATING

6.4
Moderately Fair
Read with skepticism

The news story on ChatGPT's rapid growth and future developments provides a timely and engaging overview of the topic. Its strengths lie in its clarity, timeliness, and relevance to public interest, effectively capturing the attention of readers interested in AI technology. However, the article's accuracy and source quality are moderate, as it relies heavily on statements from Sam Altman without independent verification or diverse perspectives. Enhancing transparency and incorporating additional sources could improve the story's credibility and depth. Overall, the article contributes to the ongoing discourse on AI's societal impact but would benefit from a more balanced presentation of viewpoints and confirmed data.

RATING DETAILS

6
Accuracy

The story's accuracy is moderate, as it includes both verifiable and speculative elements. The claim that ChatGPT's user base doubled in a few weeks, as stated by Sam Altman, lacks direct confirmation from OpenAI, which affects its verifiability. The statement about 10% of the world using ChatGPT, implying 800 million users, is not backed by official data, as previous reports indicated 400 million weekly users. Additionally, the mention of new features like image generation contributing to user growth is supported by external reports, but specific figures need verification. The story also discusses future developments and a $300 billion valuation, which require confirmation from financial reports or OpenAI announcements.

7
Balance

The story presents a balanced perspective by including both the positive aspects of ChatGPT's growth and potential concerns about AI's impact on employment. It highlights the rapid user growth and innovative features while also addressing the debate over AI's role in replacing human jobs. However, the article could improve balance by incorporating viewpoints from independent experts or critics of AI technology, offering a more comprehensive view of the implications of ChatGPT's expansion.

8
Clarity

The article is generally clear, with a logical flow and straightforward language that makes the content accessible to readers. It effectively summarizes the key points of the conversation between Altman and Anderson, providing enough context to understand the significance of the claims. However, the article could benefit from clearer differentiation between confirmed facts and speculative statements, enhancing reader comprehension.

5
Source quality

The story primarily relies on statements made by Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, during a TED talk, which are authoritative but not independently verified. The lack of additional sources or corroborative data from OpenAI or other industry experts limits the reliability and depth of the information. The absence of comments from OpenAI further affects the credibility of the claims made in the article.

6
Transparency

The article provides some context about the conversation between Altman and Anderson, but it lacks transparency in terms of verifying the claims made. The story does not disclose the methodology for estimating user numbers or the basis for Altman's statements about future developments. Greater transparency about the sources and data supporting the claims would enhance the article's credibility.

Sources

  1. https://explodingtopics.com/blog/chatgpt-users
  2. https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/chatgpt-added-one-million-users-in-last-hour-openai-ceo-sam-altman-tweets-as-ghibli-style-ai-art-goes-viral-470053-2025-04-01
  3. https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/11/chatgpt-everything-to-know-about-the-ai-chatbot/
  4. https://www.axios.com/2025/03/31/chatgpt-image-altman-openai-users
  5. https://fortune.com/2025/04/01/sam-altman-chatgpt-signups-soar-hayao-miyazaki-image-generation-feature/