Sam Altman suggested paying for AI “by the meter,” like utilities

OpenAI offers a “utility” rate for AI

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, proposed changing how people pay for artificial intelligence. At the BlackRock Infrastructure Summit in Washington, he suggested treating access to AI as a basic utility service—like electricity or water—where users are charged based on actual consumption measured by a meter.

Why a new model is being discussed
- High costs. Leading AI labs spend enormous amounts on infrastructure, but investors lose interest due to uncertain profitability.
- Financial risks for OpenAI. According to the January report, the company could incur losses of $14 billion by 2026 and may even face bankruptcy before mid‑2027.
- Revenue versus expenses. Annual revenue from ChatGPT is about $13 million, while costs for infrastructure, research, and staff reach $1.4 billion.

In addition, AI development faces constraints: a shortage of high‑quality training data and a deficit of computing power. This makes scaling more expensive and complex.

Current monetization system
OpenAI uses a mixed approach:
- Paid subscriptions;
- Free access in the U.S., supported by advertising.

Moving to a “meter” could help balance the company’s financial model.

Impact on users
Altman noted that demand for AI is growing rapidly and it needs to be almost free so users don’t think about cost. However, as consumption rises, computing resources will become scarce:
- Companies may raise the price per model token;
- Or simply fail to meet increasing demand.

Thus, a “utility” model would benefit occasional users but create difficulties for those who have fully integrated AI into their work.