OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman estimates that between 1 billion and 1.5 billion people have used ChatGPT at least once. Despite this reach, the company faces a retention challenge, as approximately 500 million users who tried the service did not become regular visitors.
Data indicates that ChatGPT reached 900 million weekly active users in early 2026, surpassing the 1 billion weekly active threshold by July 2026. Monthly active users exceeded the 1 billion mark between May and June 2026, according to third-party tracking.
To improve engagement, OpenAI is developing a unified super app that integrates ChatGPT with the coding assistant Codex and the research tool Atlas. The company aims to transition users from passive interactions to agent-like functionalities that solve specific tasks.
Greg Brockman has assumed a more prominent operational role in 2026, focusing on product development. These efforts coincide with preparations for a potential IPO, with the company's valuation reportedly exceeding hundreds of billions of dollars.
OpenAI faces intense competition from Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude, and Meta Llama-based products. Google maintains a competitive advantage by integrating its AI models directly into its core services, including Search, Gmail, and Docs.
