**OpenAI Secures $6.6 Billion, Eyes For-Profit Shift**

OpenAI, the brains behind ChatGPT, has just raised a whopping $6.6 billion from big-name investors like Thrive Capital, Khosla Ventures, Nvidia, and Microsoft. This new funding boosts the company's valuation to a staggering $157 billion.

- **Funding Details**: The capital was raised through convertible debt, which will turn into equity if OpenAI successfully transitions to a for-profit model.

- **Business Model Shift**: OpenAI aims to ditch its nonprofit status, a move that has sparked controversy, including criticism from co-founder Elon Musk.

- **Regulatory Hurdles**: California law allows such a transition, but it's a complex process involving multiple steps.

- **Revenue Expansion**: To justify its high valuation, OpenAI is exploring premium subscription plans costing up to $2,000 per month.

- **User Growth**: The company has seen a 67% increase in users since April 2024, reaching 1 million users across its products.

**ChatGPT Upgrades**

On October 1, OpenAI rolled out updates to ChatGPT, enhancing its vision and speech capabilities. The new Realtime API streamlines voice-to-voice applications, and improved image processing allows for better feedback and training.