OpenAI’s ChatGPT has set a new record. In just one week, over 130 million users have generated well over 700 million images using its enhanced image-generation tool. OpenAI’s Chief Operating Officer, Brad Lightcap, announced the milestone on X, calling it a “very crazy first week.”
According to the firm’s COO, a notable trend in this wave of adoption is India. Lightcap highlighted the country’s explosive growth, revealing that it is now ChatGPT’s fastest-growing market. “India is now our fastest growing chatgpt market,” he posted.
Users across India and beyond have set free their imaginations, crafting everything from whimsical Studio Ghibli-inspired scenes to strikingly original digital art. Lightcap described this as “extremely inspiring.”
This surge in engagement is setting a new record. Back in January 2023, ChatGPT reached 100 million monthly users in just two months, becoming the fastest-growing consumer app ever, per a UBS study. Now, its image-generation tool is attracting users at a rapid rate.
OpenAI’s ability to produce hyper-realistic and imaginative visuals, ranging from anime-inspired dreamscapes to futuristic city skylines, has captivated users. However, this surge in demand has tested the infrastructure of the system.
“We appreciate your patience as we try to serve everyone,” Lightcap said, while CEO Sam Altman admitted on X that the tool’s immense popularity has led to occasional slowdowns as the company scrambles to expand its server capacity.
Since its launch in November 2022, ChatGPT has amassed 400 million weekly users, Lightcap told CNBC in February. It’s also proving highly profitable, generating over $2.7 billion annually from 10 million paying subscribers and an additional million on business plans, according to The Information. With a goal of reaching 1 billion users by year’s end, OpenAI sees this image tool as a key driver of growth.
Generative AI has rapidly advanced over the past year, becoming more powerful, efficient, and widely integrated into daily life. Models like GPT-4 Turbo and Claude 3 now deliver faster, more accurate, and cheaper responses while handling complex tasks.
A major breakthrough has been multimodal capabilities, enabling AI to generate and process text, images, audio, and video. Tools like OpenAI’s DALL·E 3 and Google’s Gemini showcase how easy AI combines text and visuals to enhance creativity.
Driving these advancements is Nvidia’s cutting-edge AI chips, including the H100 and upcoming B100, which provide the advanced computational power needed for training and deployment.
In October, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Search, a product that makes finding information online easier. ChatGPT Search allows users to quickly search the web and provides fast answers, complete with links to relevant sources.
With Search, users can now receive real-time updates on sports scores, news, and stock prices directly within their chat, offering an alternative to traditional search engines.
