OpenAI’s Chief Financial Officer, Sarah Friar, has hinted at a new revenue strategy that could significantly expand the company’s business model beyond its current subscription and enterprise offerings. Speaking in an episode of "The OpenAI Podcast" published Monday, Friar discussed the potential of licensing AI models to third parties, where OpenAI could earn a share of downstream sales if a customer’s product achieves commercial success. She illustrated the idea with a real-world example: “Let’s say in drug discovery, if we licensed our technology, you have a breakthrough. The drug takes off, and we get a licensed portion of all its sales.” According to Friar, this approach creates strong alignment between OpenAI and its customers, as the company benefits directly from the success of the innovations built on its models. This idea reflects OpenAI’s broader push to diversify its revenue streams amid soaring compute costs, which are projected to reach approximately $1.4 trillion over the coming years. While the company initially launched with a single ChatGPT subscription model, it has since introduced tiered pricing, SaaS-style enterprise plans, and credit-based systems for users who want more capacity or faster access. Friar also addressed the possibility of advertising within ChatGPT. She emphasized that any ad integration must preserve the integrity of the user experience—ensuring that the best possible answer is always provided, not a sponsored one. She confirmed that OpenAI plans to maintain an ad-free tier, even as it explores monetization options. This marks a notable shift from earlier statements. Less than two years ago, CEO Sam Altman described advertising as a “last resort” for OpenAI’s business model. During a Harvard event in May 2024, he expressed discomfort with the combination of ads and AI, calling it “uniquely unsettling.” However, Altman’s perspective has evolved. In June, he told the OpenAI podcast that he wasn’t “totally against” advertising, provided it’s implemented thoughtfully and doesn’t compromise the product. This change in tone coincides with OpenAI’s strategic restructuring completed in October, which reorganized the company into a more traditional for-profit entity. Altman said this shift would make it easier to raise capital and scale operations. As OpenAI continues to navigate the financial demands of advancing AI, the exploration of licensing deals and cautious ad testing signals a maturing business strategy—one focused on sustainable growth while maintaining trust and performance.