Ep.# 160: OpenAI Hits $12 Billion in Revenue, ChatGPT Study Mode, AI Job Losses, & AI + Consultants

It's an exhilarating moment in the world of artificial intelligence, marked by rapid advancements and transformative shifts across industries. From OpenAI's explosive growth to evolving AI applications in education, consulting, and enterprise strategy, the AI landscape is evolving faster than ever. In this article, we dive deep into the latest developments shaping AI's current and future impact on business, jobs, and innovation.

Table of Contents

• Reimagining AI Learning: The Launch of AI Academy 3.0
• OpenAI's Meteoric Rise and the GPT-5 Anticipation
• Microsoft and OpenAI: Navigating the Future of AGI Partnerships
• ChatGPT Study Mode: Transforming AI-Assisted Learning
• AI’s Impact on Jobs: Efficiency Gains and Workforce Disruption
• Consulting Industry at a Crossroads: AI’s Disruptive Role
• Apple’s AI Ambitions: Catching Up or Reinventing?
• Quarterly Earnings Highlight AI’s Strategic Importance
• Google’s Deep Think: AI Reasoning at New Heights
• Meta’s Vision: Personal Superintelligence for Empowerment
• Privacy Wake-Up: ChatGPT Shared Links Indexed by Google
• Latest AI Product and Funding Updates
• Conclusion: Navigating the AI Revolution
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Reimagining AI Learning: The Launch of AI Academy 3.0

August 19 marks a major milestone with the launch of AI Academy 3.0 by SmarterX, a comprehensive, reimagined AI learning experience designed to help professionals and teams master AI in practical, personalized ways. This next-generation academy builds on foundations laid since its initial launch in 2020, now offering a rich catalog of on-demand courses, professional certificates, and live AI learning modules.

The new AI Academy includes three major course categories:

• AI Foundations: An eight-course series covering AI fundamentals, concepts, generative AI, prompting, AI agents, and personal AI applications.
• Piloting AI: A refreshed flagship four-course series focused on piloting AI in business through use case and problem-based models, plus building AI assistance.
• Scaling AI: An eight-course series offering evergreen content on AI-forward organizations, governance, policies, responsible AI principles, impact assessments, and roadmaps.

Additionally, courses tailored to industries and departments will launch, including professional services and marketing, guiding learners through AI opportunities, future trends, use cases, and tools to boost productivity and performance.

Weekly product reviews under the Gen AI app series will provide real-time insights on emerging AI tools like custom GPTs, Google’s NotebookLM, and more.

OpenAI's Meteoric Rise and the GPT-5 Anticipation

OpenAI has recently hit an impressive milestone with estimated annualized revenue soaring to approximately $12 billion—nearly tripling its growth pace since early 2024. This surge is fueled by a user base of roughly 700 million weekly active users and 5 million paying business customers, up from 3 million just weeks prior.

To support this growth, OpenAI has increased its projected cash burn to $8 billion this year, investing heavily in chips, data centers, and infrastructure, including partnerships with SoftBank. The company is strategically evolving ChatGPT from a consumer chatbot into a productivity suite that directly competes with Google and Microsoft services.

Rumors swirl around the imminent release of GPT-5, with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman teasing new models, products, and features set to launch soon. His playful social media hints, including recommending the Netflix show Pantheon through GPT-5, underscore the excitement and anticipation in the AI community.

Microsoft and OpenAI: Navigating the Future of AGI Partnerships

Microsoft’s $13.75 billion deal with OpenAI grants it access to OpenAI’s models until 2030 or until OpenAI declares it has achieved Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). This milestone, loosely defined as AI outperforming humans in most economically valuable work, could disrupt Microsoft’s access to OpenAI’s technology.

Negotiations are underway to revise this deal, aiming to allow Microsoft continued access post-AGI and potentially secure an equity stake in OpenAI. However, tensions exist: OpenAI seeks more revenue and sales freedom, while Microsoft demands stricter model deployment guardrails and has blocked some OpenAI acquisitions.

Adding complexity, OpenAI’s compute demands drive much of Azure’s growth, while Microsoft pursues its own AI ambitions, sometimes competing with OpenAI. Industry experts are watching closely as these negotiations could shape the AI ecosystem's future.

A compelling concept discussed is the economic Turing test, proposed by AI safety researcher Benjamin Mann, which suggests AGI could be defined by AI agents outperforming humans in economic roles without the employer knowing, potentially by 2027-2028. This more concrete test could guide future AGI benchmarks.

ChatGPT Study Mode: Transforming AI-Assisted Learning

OpenAI has introduced Study Mode in ChatGPT, designed to help students learn concepts step-by-step rather than just provide answers. This mode uses techniques like Socratic questioning, cognitive scaffolding, and metacognitive prompts tailored to the student's level and past interactions.

Study Mode includes quizzes and open-ended questions to reinforce learning, and early feedback praises it as a “live 24/7 all-knowing office hours.” Currently free for logged-in users, it's powered by custom instructions atop the standard ChatGPT model, with plans to bake these behaviors directly into future AI models.

This innovation promises to revolutionize education by making personalized learning accessible and engaging. Parents and educators can envision creating specialized GPT assistants, such as creative writing coaches for young learners, which guide without doing the work for the student.

AI’s Impact on Jobs: Efficiency Gains and Workforce Disruption

Recent reports highlight how CEOs are openly embracing workforce reductions enabled by AI efficiency gains as a positive sign of progress. Companies like Wells Fargo, Verizon, and Bank of America have reduced headcount through attrition, automation, and role consolidation, often citing AI as a key factor.

“AI doesn't go on strike. It doesn't ask for a pay raise. These things that you don't have to deal with as a CEO.”

While some see this as short-term efficiency, the broader implications point to a challenging transition period for workers. Experts warn that as AI reliability increases over the next 6 to 18 months, job disruptions will accelerate, potentially triggering significant societal and economic challenges by 2027-2028.

Microsoft’s recent study analyzing 200,000 real-world interactions with Copilot reveals AI is primarily used for knowledge work tasks like information gathering, writing, and explaining. AI often acts as a coach or assistant rather than a full replacement, but jobs such as translators, sales reps, writers, journalists, and customer service representatives face high exposure to AI disruption.

Consulting Industry at a Crossroads: AI’s Disruptive Role

The consulting giant McKinsey is quietly deploying over 12,000 AI agents to assist consultants by drafting presentations, summarizing interviews, and checking argument logic. The firm aims for one AI agent per employee in the near future, while headcount has decreased by 5,000 since 2023.

This shift is transforming consulting economics: projects once staffed with 15 consultants now operate with just 3 consultants plus AI bots. Junior employees are expected to be the most impacted, and the entire industry faces pressure to dramatically change its business model.

For existing firms, adapting to AI is tough. Legacy staffing and compensation models are being upended, client expectations are evolving rapidly, and service demand is shifting as AI capabilities improve. However, AI-native consulting or professional services firms starting fresh have a unique opportunity to build more dynamic, efficient, and competitive models.

Apple’s AI Ambitions: Catching Up or Reinventing?

Amid speculation, Apple CEO Tim Cook has confirmed the company is open to AI acquisitions and reallocating staff to focus on AI features. Despite strong fundamentals, including a $94 billion quarter and surging iPhone sales, Apple’s AI efforts—especially around Siri—have lagged behind competitors.

Apple has considered deals with OpenAI and Anthropic and even floated acquiring Perplexity, while reshuffling leadership to boost AI efforts. Cook has framed AI as a revolution as significant as the internet and smartphones, emphasizing Apple’s intent to invest heavily and innovate.

The key questions remain whether Apple’s culture and vision can attract and retain top AI talent focused on AGI and superintelligence, or if Apple’s strength in consumer devices and ecosystem will be enough to compete effectively.

Quarterly Earnings Highlight AI’s Strategic Importance

• Google (Alphabet): Revenue rose 14% to $96 billion, with CEO Sundar Pichai attributing momentum to AI. Google plans to spend $85 billion in capital expenditures this year, up $10 billion, reflecting AI infrastructure investments.
• Microsoft: Reported $27.2 billion profit, up 24% year-over-year, with revenue hitting $76.4 billion. Azure cloud growth accelerated to 39%, driven by AI and OpenAI partnership demands.
• Meta: Posted $47.5 billion in revenue with 3.848 billion users across apps. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a focus on building “personal superintelligence,” despite Reality Labs VR/AR losses.
• Apple: Strongest quarter in years with 10% revenue growth, driven by iPhone 16 sales and a $27 billion quarterly services business.

These earnings underscore investor confidence in AI’s long-term transformative potential, even as companies ramp up significant capital expenditures for cloud infrastructure, research, and development.

Google’s Deep Think: AI Reasoning at New Heights

Google recently launched Deep Think within its Gemini app, a powerful AI designed to reason like a mathematician. Based on the Gemini 2.5 model that earned gold at the International Math Olympiad, Deep Think uses “parallel thinking” to explore multiple ideas simultaneously, revise, and combine them before finalizing solutions.

This approach is applicable beyond math to web design, scientific reasoning, and algorithm development. However, access requires a Google AI Ultra subscription costing nearly $250 per month.

This technology exemplifies how advanced AI models will dramatically increase productivity in high-level knowledge work, enabling a single expert using AI to accomplish the work of many.

Meta’s Vision: Personal Superintelligence for Empowerment

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has articulated a vision for AI focused on personal superintelligence—deeply personalized AI assistants that grow with individuals, understand goals, and empower personal progress rather than centralized automation.

Zuckerberg contrasts this with other industry players aiming to automate all valuable work centrally, envisioning instead AI as a tool for personal agency and creativity. Meta is betting on wearable devices like glasses as future interfaces that understand context and become primary computing platforms.

This vision raises important questions about which companies and values will shape AI’s future, emphasizing the need for thoughtful choices by individuals, families, and businesses.

Privacy Wake-Up: ChatGPT Shared Links Indexed by Google

A recent privacy incident revealed that some ChatGPT conversations shared on the web were inadvertently indexed by Google search, exposing thousands of intimate chats discussing trauma, mental health, and personal details.

OpenAI promptly fixed the issue, and users are advised to regularly review and manage their shared chat settings to prevent unintended public exposure. This episode serves as a stark reminder for users to exercise caution and assume that anything shared online could become public.

Latest AI Product and Funding Updates

• Anthropic: Imposing new weekly rate limits on Claude Pro and Max due to high-cost usage by some users, while closing in on a $5 billion funding round that could value the company at $170 billion.
• HubSpot: Launched the first CRM connector for Anthropic’s Claude, enabling AI-driven real-time CRM insights.
• Microsoft Edge: Testing Copilot mode, turning the browser into an AI assistant that can manage tabs, bookings, and more with user permission.
• Ramp: Raised $500 million to expand AI agent capabilities in finance, automating expense checks, compliance, procurement, and budgeting tasks.
• Google NotebookLM: Added video overviews that generate narrated slides from documents, making complex material easier to understand and customize.

Conclusion: Navigating the AI Revolution

We stand at the cusp of a profound AI-driven transformation impacting every sector from education to consulting, enterprise strategy to personal empowerment. Companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Apple are racing to innovate and shape the future, while the workforce grapples with disruption and opportunity.

For experts with deep domain knowledge, this is a golden moment to leverage AI as a force multiplier. For business leaders, the challenge is to adapt strategies and cultures to this accelerating change. And for society, the imperative is to thoughtfully guide AI’s integration to maximize benefits while mitigating risks.

As AI technologies continue to evolve at breakneck speed, staying informed, adaptable, and proactive has never been more critical.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is AI Academy 3.0 and who is it for?

AI Academy 3.0 is a comprehensive AI education platform offering personalized learning journeys for professionals and teams. It includes foundational courses, industry-specific series, live classes, and certifications designed to help learners master AI concepts and applications.

How significant is OpenAI’s recent revenue milestone?

OpenAI's estimated $12 billion annualized revenue reflects explosive growth in AI adoption, especially in business use cases. This milestone signals strong market demand and substantial investment in AI infrastructure.

What is the economic Turing test?

The economic Turing test measures AGI by whether AI agents can perform a job indistinguishably from humans and be hired over them. Passing this test for a significant portion of jobs would indicate transformative AI with broad economic impact.

How does ChatGPT Study Mode enhance learning?

Study Mode guides users through concepts with interactive prompts, quizzes, and tailored feedback, fostering deeper understanding instead of just providing answers. It’s designed to help students actively learn and retain knowledge.

What industries are most affected by AI job disruption?

Knowledge work sectors such as translation, sales, writing, journalism, and customer service are among the most exposed to AI-driven changes, with AI increasingly acting as a productivity coach or assistant.

How is AI changing consulting firms like McKinsey?

AI is drastically reducing staffing needs and speeding up consulting work by automating tasks like presentation drafting and data analysis. Firms must rethink business models and service delivery to remain competitive.

What is Meta’s vision for AI and superintelligence?

Meta aims to develop personal superintelligence—highly personalized AI assistants that empower individuals rather than centralized automation, focusing on enhancing creativity, agency, and connection.

How can users protect their privacy when using AI tools like ChatGPT?

Users should regularly review sharing settings, avoid posting sensitive information publicly, and assume that anything shared online could be accessible by others.