OpenAI's ChatGPT just crossed a staggering milestone - $3 billion in lifetime mobile consumer spending across iOS and Android since May 2023. What makes this even more striking is the velocity. The AI chatbot got there in just 31 months, significantly outpacing TikTok's 58-month climb to the same figure. For context, Disney+ took 42 months and HBO Max needed 46 months. This isn't just a number. It signals something the tech industry has been wrestling with since ChatGPT's launch: generative AI isn't a niche curiosity anymore. It's become a mainstream product people actively pay for.
OpenAI just dropped a reality check on the AI industry. The company's ChatGPT mobile app has crossed into elite app revenue territory, hitting $3 billion in cumulative consumer spending as of this week. But here's what really matters: most of that money came in the last year.
According to app intelligence firm Appfigures, consumers dropped $2.48 billion on ChatGPT mobile in 2025 alone. That's a jaw-dropping 408% increase from the $487 million spent in 2024. To put the acceleration in perspective, the app earned just $42.9 million in its first year of availability in 2023, then jumped 1,036% in 2024. The trend line is unmistakable: ChatGPT's monetization is hitting hypergrowth.
The speed at which ChatGPT reached this milestone tells you everything about market demand for AI. The app crushed the timeline set by the previous generation of mega-apps. TikTok, the dominant social platform globally, took 58 months to reach $3 billion. ChatGPT got there nearly two years faster. It also beat Disney+ by 11 months and HBO Max by 15 months, both of which are household-name entertainment services with massive brand recognition and years of content investment.
What's driving this explosive growth? The monetization model is straightforward. Users can subscribe to ChatGPT Plus for $20 per month, unlocking faster response times and early access to new features. Then there's at $200 per month for power users who need the most advanced capabilities. The sheer number of people willing to pay $20-plus monthly for an AI assistant would've seemed unlikely just two years ago. But the product works, and people are voting with their wallets.
