The short version

Ben Thompson predicted on February 12, 2026: “I put forward a few years ago that actually OpenAI could stop making models and be one of the most valuable companies in the world just because of ChatGPT. That's their most ... valuable asset. And part of the problem ... that they have is that was definitely the case in 2023 and…

Prediction by

Ben Thompson

On February 12, 2026

“I put forward a few years ago that actually OpenAI could stop making models and be one of the most valuable companies in the world just because of ChatGPT. That's their most ... valuable asset. And part of the problem ... that they have is that was definitely the case in 2023 and 2024, but they never… You have to actually build the business model around that.”

Follow-up

Thompson states this was true in 2023 and 2024, which is in the past. The rest of the statement about building a business model around it is 'too early' to judge. This was recorded in 2026, so it's a look back at 2023/2024, but the phrasing 'you have to actually build the business model around that' implies a future-looking challenge. Since building a business model is an ongoing process, it's too early to render a definitive judgment on the success or failure of OpenAI's monetization strategy past 2024.

From the High Caliber AI network — see the AI for PR module in the course.