After ‘code red’, OpenAI sees 10% ChatGPT growth, readies new AI chat model

OpenAI is experiencing a resurgence as its flagship product, ChatGPT, reports a significant month-on-month growth of over 10%, bringing a sense of relief after a period of fierce competition in the AI arena. This renewed momentum appears to have boosted morale within the organization, particularly following a critical 'code red' situation declared in December 2025, which led the company to pause several key initiatives to focus on enhancing ChatGPT, speeding up model updates, and addressing the rising challenges from competitors in the AI field. In an internal message shared on February 6, OpenAI indicated its plans to unveil an updated Chat model imminently. CEO Sam Altman hinted that the new AI model could be released between February 9 and February 15. In the same communication, Altman noted that the company's coding tool, Codex, has experienced a remarkable 50% growth, with user adoption accelerating rapidly. He described the response to the recent launch of GPT-5.3-Codex as "insane," stating, "This was a great week." Codex is now in direct competition with Anthropic’s Claude Code, marking a significant rivalry in the software development tools sector powered by AI. Anthropic has made strides with its developer-centric features, effectively narrowing the competitive landscape that was previously dominated by ChatGPT. The competition has also extended into their business models; while Anthropic has committed to keeping its chatbot free of advertisements, OpenAI has begun experimenting with ad placements within ChatGPT. This has led to a public spat, with Anthropic promoting its ad-free stance, prompting Altman to criticize such campaigns on social media, labeling them as "dishonest" and asserting that OpenAI would never implement ads as portrayed by Anthropic. With the anticipated launch of the updated chat model just around the corner, both investors and developers are keenly observing to determine if OpenAI can maintain its revitalized growth trajectory and uphold its position in an increasingly competitive AI landscape.