OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced that the company’s latest image-generation feature in ChatGPT attracted one million new users within just one hour.
Altman shared the milestone on social media, comparing it to the initial launch of ChatGPT 26 months ago, which took five days to reach the same number. The surge in users follows the recent introduction of new image capabilities in GPT-4o, which Altman previously said was overwhelming OpenAI’s graphics processing units (GPUs).
A standout feature of the update is ChatGPT’s ability to generate images in the style of Studio Ghibli, the renowned Japanese animation studio. Social media platforms have been flooded with AI-generated Ghibli-style visuals, even catching the attention of institutions like the White House.
Estimates suggest ChatGPT now has between 250 million and 400 million users, though it remains unclear how OpenAI measured the sudden spike. However, the rapid adoption underscores the company’s ongoing efforts to stay ahead in the highly competitive AI space.
Altman’s celebration comes over a year after his dramatic ousting and reinstatement as OpenAI’s CEO in 2023. While he has since reestablished his leadership, he remains entangled in a legal battle with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has accused him of straying from OpenAI’s original mission.
