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OpenAI tells investors annualized revenue was about $50 billion, below earlier figures

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 6 outlets, mostly center (67%).

9 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

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OpenAI told investors its annualized revenue reached roughly $50 billion at the end of September, about $20 billion below the $70 billion figure previously signalled. Shares of Nvidia, Micron and other AI chip companies fell as the figure circulated, and volatility spread through US stocks. Coverage also reported that OpenAI has told investors it still expects to reach a $70 billion annualized revenue target this year, while one account put its full-year projection at $50 billion. Some analysts said the gap reflects differences in how the figure is reported rather than weaker AI demand. Chip stocks bounced the following day as a new report presented OpenAI’s financial picture in a more optimistic light.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. OpenAI told investors its annualized revenue reached roughly $50 billion at the end of September, about $20 billion less than the $70 billion previously signalled.

    Reported byLeft1Center3See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Guardian
    Center
    Financial Times, CNBC, MarketWatch

  2. Nvidia, Micron, Oracle and CoreWeave shares fell as the revenue figure circulated.

    Reported byLeft1Center3See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Bloomberg
    Center
    CNBC, MarketWatch, Financial Times

  3. Semafor reported that OpenAI assured investors it still expects to reach a $70 billion annualized revenue target this year.

    One outletSemafor· Center

  4. The Guardian reported that OpenAI told investors its revenue for this year would reach $50 billion.

    One outletThe Guardian· Left

  5. Analysts said the gap reflects differences in how the annualized figure is reported, not weaker AI demand.

    One side only: the centerReported byCenter2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    MarketWatch, Semafor

  6. Nvidia and Micron shares bounced after a new report painted OpenAI’s financial picture in a more optimistic light.

    One outletMarketWatch· Center

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • OpenAI’s revenue target for this year

    Semafor reports that OpenAI assured investors it still expects to reach a $70 billion annualized revenue target this year. The Guardian reports that OpenAI told investors its revenue for this year would reach $50 billion, based on sales up to the end of September.

  • Whether the revenue gap signals weaker AI demand

    MarketWatch quotes analysts saying the gap reflects differences in how the figure is reported rather than weakness in AI demand. Semafor reports that some analysts consider the annualized revenue metric itself flawed, and the Guardian and Semafor describe worries about the pace of AI growth.

How each side tells it

Compare views

  • the left

    2 outlets

    Left-side headlines frame the story as a market selloff tied to doubts about AI spending (Bloomberg) and as a projected revenue shortfall that raises questions about AI growth (The Guardian), with both coverage items written by the same two outlets.

    OpenAI projected to bring in $20bn less in revenue than expected
    The GuardianLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    4 outlets

    Center headlines lead with the $20bn revenue gap and the market reaction (Financial Times, CNBC), with MarketWatch quoting analysts on undue concern and a later rebound, and Semafor framing the story around OpenAI’s reassurance to investors.

    Why OpenAI’s revenue numbers really matter
    Financial TimesCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    No coverage yet

    No right-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left3

    Questions raisedraising questionsbreak-neck growth rate

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right

    Has not covered this story.

In the outlets’ own words

  • Vague attribution

    Questions raisedMore neutral: Some investors and analysts have asked about

    The sentence does not say who raised the questions, so a view is presented as widespread without anyone being named.

    Questions raised over AI growth as ChatGPT maker forecasts this year’s revenue at $50bn, way below…

    Used byThe Guardian (Left)

  • Vague attribution

    raising questionsMore neutral: state the question and who is asking

    The writer is raising the question while pretending someone else did.

    …$20bn less in projected revenue than it had recently indicated to investors, raising questions about the break-neck growth rate in demand for AI.

    Used byThe Guardian (Left)

  • Sensational language

    break-neck growth rateMore neutral: rapid growth rate

    Calling the growth rate break-neck adds an evaluative image that the reported figures do not state.

    …than it had recently indicated to investors, raising questions about the break-neck growth rate in demand for AI.

    Used byThe Guardian (Left)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

2 outlets

Leads with

  • chip stock selloff
  • sustainability of AI spending
  • questions over AI growth rate
  • $20bn revenue shortfall

Leaves out

  • analysts’ view that the gap reflects reporting differences rather than weaker demand
  • OpenAI’s stated $70bn annualized revenue target for this year

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 2 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
  • The GuardianLeft

    OpenAI projected to bring in $20bn less in revenue than expected

    Vague attribution“Questions raised”The sentence does not say who raised the questions, so a view is presented as widespread without anyone being named.More neutral: Some investors and analysts have asked aboutDisagree with this highlight? over AI growth as ChatGPT maker forecasts this year’s revenue at $50bn, way below the $70bn signalled before OpenAI has revealed that it is making about $20bn less in projected revenue than it had recently indicated to investors, Vague attribution“raising questions”The writer is raising the question while pretending someone else did.More neutral: state the question and who is askingDisagree with this highlight? about the …

    Read at The Guardian (opens in a new tab)
  • BloombergLeft

    Tech Stocks to Fall as OpenAI Sinks US Chipmakers: Markets Wrap

    Asian tech stocks are set to come under pressure, tracking a selloff in US chipmakers as speculation over OpenAI’s revenue revived concerns about the sustainability of the artificial-intelligence spending boom.

    Read at Bloomberg (opens in a new tab)

From the center

4 outlets

Leads with

  • $20bn gap between $50bn and $70bn
  • stock market reaction
  • OpenAI reassurance to investors
  • analyst doubts about the revenue metric
See the 4 headlines from the centerHide the headlines

From the right

0 outlets

No right-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    5 hr 23 min later

    Its first report, Oct 8, 6:05 PM EDT

  • Center

    First to report

    Financial Times, Oct 8, 12:42 PM EDT

  • Right

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. Financial TimesCenterOct 8, 12:42 PM EDT
  2. CNBCCenterOct 8, 2:18 PM EDT
  3. BloombergLeftOct 8, 6:05 PM EDT
  4. MarketWatchCenterOct 8, 6:08 PM EDT
  5. The GuardianLeftOct 9, 4:06 AM EDT
  6. SemaforCenterOct 9, 6:30 AM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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