New Delhi: OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, is planning to nearly double its workforce to around 8,000 employees by the end of 2026 amid intensifying competition in the enterprise AI market, according to a report by the Financial Times.

Currently, OpenAI employs approximately 4,500 people and is ramping up hiring across product development, engineering, research, and sales, along with specialised roles to support businesses in deploying AI solutions effectively.

San Francisco expansion supports growth strategy

As part of its growth plans, OpenAI has leased additional office space in San Francisco, taking its footprint in the city to over one million square feet. The company intends to add nearly a dozen employees per day throughout the year to strengthen its operations.

Competition intensifies in enterprise AI sector

The hiring push comes as rivals such as Anthropic gain traction in the enterprise AI segment, with data from Ramp indicating that new business customers are increasingly choosing Anthropic’s solutions over OpenAI’s offerings.

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In response, OpenAI has initiated a strategic reset to focus on flagship products, including ChatGPT and its coding model, Codex. Plans are underway to integrate Codex with ChatGPT into a unified platform for enterprise and consumer users, enhancing usability and adoption.

Strategic partnerships and business expansion

OpenAI is also exploring collaborations with private equity firms to deploy its AI tools across portfolio companies, reflecting a deeper push into business applications of artificial intelligence.

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Despite rapid growth, both OpenAI and Anthropic remain loss-making, heavily investing in training advanced AI models. The companies face pressure to increase revenues and move towards profitability, with potential public listings under consideration.

IANS