Even in the rapidly changing technological era in which we find ourselves, the past few months have seen a high number of major changes involving the market leader in generative AI, OpenAI. This includes the release of the Sora video app, which allows users to place their own likeness into highly realistic AI video content – the product of which is already proliferating across many social media sites.
But perhaps the most significant shift is one which is not immediately apparent from opening up social media: OpenAI’s transition into an entirely for-profit entity. While Microsoft retains a 27% stake in OpenAI and will continue to use its models until at least 2032, it signals a fork in the road at which both parties will pursue competing commercial ventures in the AI space.
The move also paves the way for OpenAI, formerly a not-for-profit research entity, to eventually become a publicly listed company. With a market valuation that recently reached half a trillion dollars, all eyes will be watching for signs that the tech giant is planning an IPO in 2026 or later.
But while OpenAI is breaking records for a tech startup, it remains extremely unprofitable. The company plans to reach profitability by 2029, which is a lofty goal given its current losses; it reportedly loses as many as $3 for every $1 it gets back in revenue. To achieve profitability, the company will need both to expand its current revenue streams greatly and to open new ones.
One such attempt is the move to an agentic commerce model, with a trial of one-click purchasing currently underway in the US through ChatGPT’s Instant Checkout feature. This would allow users to make purchases directly from the ChatGPT app. Products would be scraped organically from sellers who opt in, while merchants hand over a cut of their proceeds to OpenAI for any sales made through the app.
This trial is currently limited to US Etsy purchases but, if rolled out further, could have lasting impacts for brands. Such product listings currently cannot be sponsored, meaning brands may have less influence over where their products show up in response to user queries. If users indeed shift their shopping habits to platforms like ChatGPT, this could have a sizeable impact on advertisers’ e-commerce strategies. Still, the largest marketplaces, including Amazon, have so far resisted the move to agentic commerce, setting up a potential battle for the future of ecommerce.
Amidst all the changes, the past month has also brought warnings from the Bank of England, International Monetary Fund, and other reputable bodies that we may be in the midst of a new dotcom bubble. Sam Altman and other tech leaders strongly dispute this. Wherever brands sit on the AI optimism scale, they should be watching OpenAI’s moves – and the way consumers react to them – carefully. If October 2025 is anything to go by, the pace of change in the AI landscape shows no signs of letting up.
