OpenAI's Weekly Active Users Surpass 400 Million

OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken February 16, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken February 16, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
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OpenAI's Weekly Active Users Surpass 400 Million

OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken February 16, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken February 16, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

ChatGPT developer OpenAI's weekly active users surged past 400 million in February, a company spokesperson told Reuters on Thursday, highlighting rapid growth in the adoption of artificial intelligence tools.

The Microsoft-backed startup had 300 million weekly active users in December. Its paying business users also crossed 2 million in February, more than doubling from its last update in September.

The upbeat numbers come weeks after China's DeepSeek launched an AI model it said could match or even outperform Western rivals at a fraction of the cost, stirring doubts about US dominance in the generative AI space, Reuters reported.

But a surge in demand for DeepSeek since then has caused outages at the small startup.

There have also been questions around how DeepSeek was able to obtain Nvidia's H800 chips, used to train AI models, even though Washington had banned their exports to China.

OpenAI reported a twofold increase in developer traffic for its reasoning models over the last six months and a fivefold surge for its o3 model since its launch in late January.

The news about OpenAI's weekly users was first reported by CNBC earlier in the day.



Taiwan May Exports Hit Record on AI Demand and Ahead of US Tariffs

A man rides a motobike on the street with wind turbines in the background, in Changhua, Taiwan May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang
A man rides a motobike on the street with wind turbines in the background, in Changhua, Taiwan May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang
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Taiwan May Exports Hit Record on AI Demand and Ahead of US Tariffs

A man rides a motobike on the street with wind turbines in the background, in Changhua, Taiwan May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang
A man rides a motobike on the street with wind turbines in the background, in Changhua, Taiwan May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang

Taiwan's exports surged to a record in May on booming demand for artificial intelligence and as customers placed orders ahead of US tariffs which could take effect next month after a suspension period expires.

Exports increased 38.6% from the same month a year ago - the fastest pace in almost 15 years - to $51.74 billion, a record high and the first time the value of exports has exceeded $50 billion, the finance ministry said on Monday.

The expansion, the 19th consecutive monthly gain, was higher than the 25% expected by economists in a Reuters poll and surpassed April's 29.9% rise.

Taiwan companies such as TSMC , the world's largest contract chipmaker, are major suppliers to Apple , Nvidia and other tech giants.

May exports benefited from continued strong AI demand and customers bringing forward orders to hedge against the possibility of increased U.S. tariffs, the ministry said in a statement.

US President Donald Trump planned a 32% import levy on goods from Taiwan under his global tariff regime, until he announced a 90-day pause in April to allow for trade negotiations.

While AI and other new technologies should continue to support Taiwan's exports, the uncertainty surrounding the US tariffs and geopolitical risks could undermine the global economic outlook, the ministry said.

For June, the ministry expects exports to rise between 15% and 25% year-on-year.

In May, Taiwan's exports to the United States soared 87.4% year-on-year to $15.52 billion, a record in terms of growth and value, versus a 29.5% surge in the prior month.

Exports to China, Taiwan's biggest trading partner, climbed 16.6%, after rising 22.3% in April.

Taiwan's total exports of electronic components gained 28.4% in May on the year to $17.2 billion, with semiconductor exports up 30.1%.

Imports rose 25% to $39.13 billion, lower than economists' forecasts of 30.2%.