Nick Turley, the head of ChatGPT at OpenAI, recently spoke about the future of the AI product, addressing user attachment, monetisation strategies, and upcoming features. While OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman remains the public face of the company, Turley has been leading ChatGPT’s development from the start. Today, it stands as the fastest-growing software product ever, reaching 700 million users each week.
Speaking to The Verge, Turley noted that people have formed strong attachments to ChatGPT, a trend that became evident following the launch of GPT-5. Users were so eager for the previous version, GPT-4o, that OpenAI reinstated it shortly after its retirement. This response took even Turley by surprise and has already influenced how the company plans to phase out models in the future.
On the question of monetisation, Turley is confident in the subscription model, despite speculation that it might stall as the user base grows. “We initially launched subscriptions simply to manage demand when our servers were struggling. Over time, we found it to be an incredibly aligned business model,” he said. He highlighted that new subscription cohorts are performing as well as or better than early users, contrary to typical trends in maturing products. The business segment has also grown rapidly, with paying business users increasing from three million to five million in a matter of months. Turley believes ChatGPT’s adoption in the workplace represents a largely untapped opportunity for long-term growth.
According to the report by The Verge, when asked about the possibility of introducing ads, Turley emphasised caution. He acknowledged that indirect monetisation could be considered in the future, but only if it preserves ChatGPT’s core value of delivering personalised, unbiased answers. He stressed that any advertising approach would need to maintain user trust and ensure the product remains aligned with their goals.
Commerce within ChatGPT is another area Turley sees as promising. The AI now offers product recommendations, and OpenAI is exploring a model where it could take a cut from transactions, similar to referral-based systems like Wirecutter. The focus, however, remains on providing value to users first. “We want discovery to feel compelling before turning it into a business. There is potential, especially for products not easily served by traditional e-commerce,” Turley explained.
He also signalled that ChatGPT may evolve beyond the current chatbot format. Future versions could integrate more deeply into workflows and productivity tools, while new products could explore different monetisation models. Turley’s comments reflect OpenAI’s measured approach to growth, monetisation, and user experience, balancing business opportunities with a commitment to maintaining the AI’s unique value.
{{/usCountry}}He also signalled that ChatGPT may evolve beyond the current chatbot format. Future versions could integrate more deeply into workflows and productivity tools, while new products could explore different monetisation models. Turley’s comments reflect OpenAI’s measured approach to growth, monetisation, and user experience, balancing business opportunities with a commitment to maintaining the AI’s unique value.
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