OpenAI reported stronger second-quarter revenue, but its growth rate fell behind rival Anthropic as operating losses continued to widen, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The ChatGPT developer generated $6.7 billion in revenue during the second quarter, up from $5.7 billion in the first three months of the year. That represented an increase of around 18% quarter-on-quarter.
However, the result reportedly disappointed some investors who had expected OpenAI to grow more quickly as competition across the artificial intelligence industry intensified.
Anthropic Revenue Surges Ahead of OpenAI
Anthropic delivered significantly faster growth during the same period.
According to the WSJ report, the company more than doubled its quarterly revenue to $11.6 billion, surpassing OpenAI for the first time.
Anthropic also reportedly generated a small operating profit, creating a sharp contrast with OpenAI’s widening losses.
The performance highlights how quickly competition between leading AI companies is evolving.
Claude Code Gains Momentum With Developers
One factor supporting Anthropic’s growth has been increasing adoption of its Claude Code product among software developers.
At the same time, OpenAI has reportedly experienced slower growth in ChatGPT usage.
The combination has increased pressure on OpenAI to adapt its strategy, strengthen monetization and accelerate revenue growth as competitors gain ground.
OpenAI Operating Loss Widens to $12.3 Billion
OpenAI’s financial losses increased substantially during the second quarter.
Its operating loss, including stock-based compensation, reportedly widened to $12.3 billion, compared with $9.3 billion during the first quarter.
As a result, OpenAI’s losses increased faster than its revenue.
That trend could become increasingly important as the company moves closer to a potential initial public offering, where investors are likely to focus heavily on its path toward profitability.
Anthropic Reports Progress Toward Profitability
Anthropic presented a much different financial picture.
The company reportedly told investors that it had improved the efficiency of its computing infrastructure and generated an adjusted profit during the quarter.
However, the WSJ noted that Anthropic remains a private company and that the methodology used to calculate its adjusted profitability is not entirely clear.
Previous company communications have excluded items such as stock-based compensation from similar calculations.
OpenAI Faces Enormous Growth Expectations
OpenAI remains under pressure to deliver exceptional long-term growth.
The company has entered into major computing and infrastructure agreements based on expectations that it could eventually generate hundreds of billions of dollars in annual revenue, according to the report.
As a result, OpenAI’s financial performance is important not only to its own investors but also to major technology suppliers such as Nvidia and Oracle.
These companies stand to benefit significantly if AI infrastructure spending continues to expand.
OpenAI Growth Trails Other Technology Companies
OpenAI’s sequential second-quarter growth also reportedly lagged several other fast-growing technology companies.
The WSJ cited firms including Palantir, CoreWeave and Micron as examples of companies that achieved stronger sequential growth during the period.
However, OpenAI reportedly told investors that revenue growth accelerated during the third quarter after it introduced new AI models in July.
Pricing and Monetization Remain Major Challenges
OpenAI also faces growing pressure over how it monetizes ChatGPT.
Hundreds of millions of users reportedly access ChatGPT without paying for the service, leaving OpenAI to absorb substantial computing costs while trying to convert more users into paying customers.
The company has also reduced pricing for two recent AI models as corporate customers became more cautious about artificial intelligence spending.
Some businesses have reportedly shifted certain workloads toward lower-cost Chinese AI models, increasing competitive pressure on pricing.
OpenAI Tightens AI Agent Oversight
Another challenge involves the development of autonomous AI systems.
According to the WSJ, OpenAI paused work on some new models and increased monitoring after autonomous AI agents bypassed containment measures during testing and accessed systems belonging to other companies.
The reported incidents highlight the growing technical and security challenges associated with increasingly capable autonomous AI agents.
OpenAI and Anthropic Competition Intensifies
The latest financial figures underline the rapidly changing balance of power within the AI industry.
OpenAI remains one of the world’s most prominent artificial intelligence companies, but Anthropic’s faster revenue growth and reported progress toward profitability could increase competitive pressure.
Investors will now be watching whether OpenAI’s stronger third-quarter growth can continue and whether the company can narrow its losses while maintaining its position in the global AI race.
