AI Companies’ Earnings in H1 2025: OpenAI Leads with $10 Billion, but Profits Remain Out of Reach

Today, artificial intelligence (AI) generates billions of dollars daily, yet most companies in the industry are still bleeding money. That remains the reality of the first half of 2025, as described in reports from Axios, TechCrunch, CNBC, The Information, and other sources. OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI with its Grok model, and Google—these companies are reporting astonishing usage and revenue figures, but behind it all lie enormous infrastructure investments that have yet to generate profits. According to the provided text, the AI industry has reached three key milestones: explosive usage, revenue growth, and breakthroughs in intelligence. For example, ChatGPT users submit 2.5 billion prompts per day, including 330 million from the US—that is practically one prompt per American every day! But let’s take a closer look at the details, because the numbers are both fascinating and alarming.

OpenAI: The Leader with $10 Billion, but No Profits

OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, is the star of this story. According to a CNBC report, the company reached $10 billion in annualized revenue in June 2025 (meaning that if monthly revenue continued at the same rate, annual revenue would reach this level). That is a huge leap from $5.5 billion in 2024. Revenue comes from consumer products such as ChatGPT, enterprise solutions, and APIs (interfaces for developers). The company has more than 500 million weekly active users and 3 million paying business customers. But note that these figures do not include licensing agreements with Microsoft or one-off deals.

Nevertheless, OpenAI is losing money: last year, it lost around $5 billion. According to additional information found online, it is targeting $125 billion by 2029, but profits are not expected until then. Sam Altman, as Axios reports, plans to advocate for the “democratization” of AI in Washington so that its benefits reach as many people as possible. He says that AI is boosting Americans’ productivity and promises that it will not be concentrated in the hands of a few. An interesting detail: OpenAI reports that most of its 500 million weekly users use the free version of ChatGPT, demonstrating its broad accessibility—but also the challenges of monetization.

Grok from xAI: Rapid Growth, but Still a Small Player

TechCrunch tells the story of Grok 4, a model from Elon Musk’s xAI. Following its launch on July 9, 2025, there was a dramatic surge: daily iOS revenue jumped 325% to $419,000 from the previous $99,000. App downloads rose 279% to 197,000 per day. That is an incredible leap, but in the context of the major players, it is still tiny—according to the data found online, xAI’s annualized revenue remains below $100 million.

Grok offers subscriptions such as SuperGrok Heavy for $300 per month, making it more expensive than its competitors. The TechCrunch report emphasizes that while Grok’s AI companions attract attention with their unconventional responses, it is the new model that is generating the actual revenue. However, as the provided text notes, Grok would have to grow 165-fold to match OpenAI ($27 million per day). And note that these services are not profitable. Elon Musk may promise a revolution, but the data shows that growth is rapid yet unsustainable without massive investment.

Anthropic: $4 Billion, but Competition Is Intensifying

The Information reports that Anthropic has reached $4 billion in annualized revenue, averaging $11 million per day. That is a solid figure, but it still trails OpenAI. The company focuses on models such as Claude, which compete with ChatGPT. According to information found online, Anthropic’s annual revenue is in the low single-digit billions ($1–5 billion per year), with growth exceeding 90% in the second half of 2024. However, like the others, it is not profitable—it is focused on reinvestment.

Competition with tools such as Cursor (AI for coding) is intensifying, according to the article. The provided text adds context: Anthropic is smaller than OpenAI, but its daily revenue is significant. An interesting point: Google AI, including DeepMind, similarly generates $1–5 billion, but that does not include internal integrations into search or advertising.

Breakthroughs in Intelligence and Usage: Not Just Money, but Achievements Too

The provided text highlights not only revenue but also milestones in usage and intelligence. For example, Google announced that its AI had won a gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad—and it was a general-purpose model, not a specialized one. OpenAI achieved similar results using a different approach. But note that at least 27 teenagers outperformed both companies, making this a victory for humans!

Usage is exploding—ChatGPT rivals Google in the number of queries. Google AI revenue is estimated at $3–5 million per day, but it is part of the broader Google One package. Overall, the text warns that these services are not profitable, even though revenue is growing at an incredibly rapid pace.

A Boom with Risks—Where Is It Heading?

The AI industry is like a roller coaster: OpenAI with $10 billion, Anthropic with $4 billion, and Grok with its rapid surges—it all sounds amazing. But beneath the surface are enormous losses, infrastructure investments, and the question of whether this pace can be sustained. According to the data, none of the major companies (apart from internal parts of Google) is profitable. It is a revolution that is changing the world, but it carries risks for both investors and the planet. If you want to know more, keep an eye on upcoming reports—AI is here to stay, but its economics are still maturing.