OpenAI is solidifying its position as a leader in artificial intelligence with a significant contract from the U.S. Department of Defense and enhanced research tools aimed at professional users. The company is increasingly focused on the enterprise market, positioning its technology as a critical infrastructure component for both governments and large corporations.
Enhanced Research Tools for Professionals
As of , subscribers to ChatGPT Plus and Pro have access to improved research capabilities. At the core of this update is the new GPT-5.2 model, which offers more powerful logical reasoning. Users can now specify trusted sources – particular websites or applications – for the AI to focus on when generating reports. This feature is designed to increase the reliability and verifiability of AI-generated content.
The user interface has been redesigned with a full-screen report view, including a table of contents and clear source citations, enhancing transparency. A key addition is the ability to define a research plan before generation and track progress in real-time, allowing for adjustments without restarting the entire process. These updates are specifically targeted at academics, analysts, and consultants for whom source verification is paramount.
Strategic Partnerships: Pentagon and Snowflake
OpenAI’s reach is expanding rapidly. On , the U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) announced a partnership with OpenAI. An adapted version of ChatGPT will be integrated into GenAI.mil, the military’s AI platform, which already has over one million users as of December 2025. This integration potentially provides access to AI tools for up to three million personnel to aid in mission preparation. The system operates within a segregated government cloud environment, ensuring sensitive data is not used to train public AI models.
Simultaneously, OpenAI secured a major partnership in the commercial sector. Data platform giant Snowflake announced a deal worth €200 million (approximately $215 million USD) with OpenAI. OpenAI’s models, including GPT-5.2, will be embedded directly into Snowflake’s Cortex AI platform. This allows companies to develop customized AI applications that leverage insights from their own, protected data – a crucial advantage for privacy-conscious AI deployment.
Business Model Adjustments: New Tiers and Advertising
Alongside its focus on enterprise clients, OpenAI is adjusting its business model for individual users. A new, more affordable tier called “ChatGPT Go” is intended to broaden access to advanced features. Concurrently, the company began testing advertisements in the free and lower-cost tiers for U.S. Users around .
OpenAI states that these advertisements will not influence the AI’s responses and that user data will not be shared with advertisers. This dual strategy – building a large user base and monetizing it through tiered subscriptions and advertising – is a common approach in the tech industry, allowing OpenAI to fund its free service while developing high-priced specialized solutions for businesses.
Market Dominance and Competitive Landscape
The numbers underscore OpenAI’s leading position: as of early 2026, ChatGPT has 800 million weekly active users and approximately 5.8 billion monthly visits, representing an estimated 81% market share in the generative AI space. Demand from businesses is surging, with weekly active users on the enterprise platform increasing eightfold year-over-year.
However, competition remains fierce. Rivals such as Google’s Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude are aggressively targeting the lucrative enterprise market, where security and customization are critical. OpenAI’s recent upgrades and strategic partnerships are a direct response to defend its position in this space. The goal is clear: to establish ChatGPT as the standard AI layer for both the public and private sectors.
Looking Ahead: AI as Foundational Infrastructure
The future of ChatGPT is focused on specialization and deep integration. The emphasis is shifting away from general conversation towards complex, task-critical applications. Integration into military systems and enterprise data platforms demonstrates this trend: AI is becoming a fundamental utility for professionals.
OpenAI is streamlining its model offerings, phasing out older models like GPT-4o in favor of the more powerful GPT-5.2 architecture. This continuous improvement, combined with a flexible business model catering to all user groups, lays the groundwork for sustainable growth. The coming months are likely to see further expansion into specialized professional fields and deeper integration into the software that powers the global economy.
