OpenAI and the 'billion-dollar gamble' to turn ChatGPT into a global operating system

OpenAI - Ảnh 1. — OpenAI's new strategy: from a chatbot maker to a web platform powerhouse.

Once a small research lab, OpenAI has emerged as a leader in the artificial intelligence revolution with its groundbreaking product ChatGPT.

But the latest moves show that CEO Sam Altman is pursuing a much more ambitious strategy: turning OpenAI into a central platform for the online world and a core infrastructure provider for the next era of the web.

It's a risky but strategic "billion-dollar gamble," seen as a key step for OpenAI to cement its long-term position in the global AI race.

Turn ChatGPT into an "AI operating system"

This strategy focuses on creating a closed ecosystem where users can complete most tasks without leaving the app. And OpenAI has outlined specific steps to achieve this ambition.

First, they're dramatically expanding ChatGPT's integration capabilities, allowing users to perform tasks outside of the app — from creating playlists on Spotify to finding apartments on Zillow.

Next, the company attacked the e-commerce and entertainment sectors with a series of new products: the "Instant Checkout" feature marked its entry into e-commerce, while Sora 2 - an AI-generated short video platform, was seen as a direct "response" to Meta and TikTok.

Notably, OpenAI also joined hands with former Apple design director Jony Ive to develop new generation hardware devices, aiming to reshape the way people interact with technology, even challenging the dominance of smartphones.

With a strategy of "penetrating every corner of digital life", OpenAI is betting big on turning ChatGPT into a core platform that can keep up with Google's growth and expand its influence across the entire digital ecosystem.

Investing billions of dollars in developing super infrastructure

To run increasingly complex AI models and build a comprehensive platform, OpenAI needs massive amounts of computing power. The company is pouring billions of dollars into developing its physical infrastructure, gradually becoming a major player in the field of supercomputers and data centers.

OpenAI has signed strategic agreements with giants like Nvidia, which is investing $100 billion in exchange for chip supplies, and Oracle, which has committed $300 billion in data center development over the next five years. It recently partnered with AMD to expand and diversify its component supply.

In particular, the Stargate project, a collaboration between OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank to build a chain of giant AI data centers across the US, starting in Texas, is considered the "backbone" of future AI infrastructure.

By investing early and heavily in infrastructure, OpenAI is solving the “chicken and egg” problem of the AI era: needing applications to generate revenue, but also needing computing power to operate the applications. This approach helps the company gain a technological lead and reduce its dependence on competitors in the global AI race.

Facing many challenges

Despite its $500 billion valuation, OpenAI is still unprofitable, with an operating loss of $7.8 billion in the first half of 2025 alone. Its heavy spending on computing infrastructure has added to the financial pressure on the company.

At the same time, OpenAI is facing off against giants with established ecosystems like Google (Gmail, Docs) and Microsoft (Copilot). The battle is no longer ChatGPT versus Copilot, but ChatGPT versus the entire Microsoft product ecosystem.

But OpenAI is betting on explosive growth in AI revenue, hoping that revenue from ChatGPT and its associated apps will soon offset its massive costs. By making ChatGPT an indispensable tool in digital life, the company hopes to maintain cash flow and solidify its lead in the race to build the new era of the web.

Turn ChatGPT into an "AI operating system"

Investing billions of dollars in developing super infrastructure

Facing many challenges

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