OpenAI makes ChatGPT. Millions of people use it every day. But the company spends much more money than it makes. Investors are still giving it billions. Will the bet pay off?
Harder version: read this lesson at C1 level →
Look at each word. Say what you think it means. Then tap the card.
Tap a card to see the meaning.
Write one word from the cards in each gap.
1. How much do you on food every week?
2. My old guitar is about 200 euros now.
3. The shop lost money this year — it made a big .
4. My uncle was late every day, so his manager d him.
5. This app has ten million s.
6. The meets every month to make big decisions.
1. spend · 2. worth · 3. loss · 4. fire · 5. user · 6. board
Read each part. Then answer the questions before you read the next part.
OpenAI started in 2015. It was a research lab, not a normal company. Its goal was to build very powerful AI that helps all people.
But AI needs very big, very expensive computers. So in 2019 OpenAI changed. It started a company that could take money from investors. Microsoft invested 1 billion dollars.
In 2020 OpenAI started selling its AI to other companies. Then, in November 2022, it launched ChatGPT. About two months later, around 100 million people were using it. In January 2023 Microsoft invested billions more.
True or false? Click your answer.
1. OpenAI started as a normal company.
2. OpenAI sold its AI to companies before ChatGPT.
3. ChatGPT got about 100 million users in two months.
On 17 November 2023, OpenAI’s board fired the boss, Sam Altman. The board said he was not always honest with them.
Almost all of the 800 workers said: “Bring him back, or we will leave.” Four days later, Altman was the boss again, with a new board.
After that, OpenAI started to spend more and more. It signed deals to build huge data centres. In 2025 Altman said the company planned to spend about 1.4 trillion dollars on computers in the next eight years.
True or false? Click your answer.
1. The board fired Sam Altman in 2023.
2. The workers were happy that Altman left.
3. OpenAI plans to spend about 1.4 trillion dollars on computers.
In 2025 OpenAI made about 13 billion dollars. That is a lot. But it spent much more, and its loss from running the business was about 21 billion dollars.
Investors still believe in it. In March 2026 they gave OpenAI 122 billion dollars. They said the company was worth 852 billion dollars. ChatGPT now has more than 900 million users every week.
But reports say OpenAI expects to lose about 25 billion dollars of cash in 2026, and it does not expect to make a profit in cash until about 2030. Will the bet pay off? Nobody knows yet.
True or false? Click your answer.
1. In 2025 OpenAI made more money than it spent.
2. Investors gave OpenAI 122 billion dollars in 2026.
3. OpenAI expects to make a profit in 2026.
OpenAI talks a lot about the future — especially 2030. Here are two useful future forms.
will be + -ing — something in progress at a time in the future:
In 2028, OpenAI will be building new data centres. · This time tomorrow, I’ll be working.
will have + past participle — something finished before a time in the future. We often use by:
By 2030, OpenAI will have spent billions of dollars. · By Friday, I’ll have finished the report.
Not sure? Use might or probably:
By 2030, OpenAI might have made a profit. · In 2027, it will probably be spending more.
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| will + verb | a simple prediction | OpenAI will need more money. |
| will be + -ing | in progress then | In 2028 it will be losing money. |
| will have + past participle | finished by then | By 2030 it will have built new data centres. |
| might have + past participle | maybe finished by then | By 2030 it might have made a profit. |
Use the verb in brackets. Choose will be + -ing or will have + past participle.
1. By 2030, OpenAI (spend) a lot of money.
2. At 9 o’clock tomorrow, I (sit) in a meeting.
3. By the end of this lesson, we (learn) ten new words.
4. Next summer, my sister (travel) in Japan.
5. By December, the company (open) its new office.
1. will have spent · 2. will be sitting · 3. will have learned / learnt · 4. will be travelling · 5. will have opened
Each sentence has one mistake. Say the correct sentence out loud, then check.
1. By 2030, OpenAI will has spent billions.
2. Tomorrow at 10, I will be work.
3. By Friday, I will have finish the report.
4. In 2028, the company will being building data centres.
5. By 2030, it might has made a profit.
1. OpenAI will have spent billions. (will + have, never has)
2. I will be working. (will be + -ing)
3. I will have finished the report. (past participle)
4. The company will be building data centres. (will be, not will being)
5. It might have made a profit. (might + have)
Take your time. Short sentences are fine.
Tell me the story in your own words. Six or seven sentences is enough.
What will OpenAI be doing in 2030? What will it have done by then? Make two sentences of each kind.
Talk about yourself in five years. What will you be doing? What will you have done by then?
You run a new company. It is losing money, but it is growing fast. You need more money from investors.
Tell them what you will be doing next year and what you will have done by 2030.