🕶️ ChatGPT App hits new revenue peak

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How was your July? For OpenAI, it was a fantastic month, especially because the mobile version of GPT-4o reached an unprecedented level of revenue. The $28M figure from the App Store and Google Play represents the highest peak of earnings so far.

It might seem odd that the next highlighted news is about another application that hasn’t fared as well as its founders hoped. Maven, which distances itself from apps designed to generate interaction, has suffered the loss of one of its co-founders just three months after its public launch.

In other news, we discuss how Artificial Intelligence cannot solve production problems. That and more in today’s newsletter.

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  6. 🧯 Equity management platform Vestd's CEO Ifty Nasir shares his tips on how not to get burned if cofounder relations sour

ChatGPT app shatters revenue records

ilgmyzin / Unsplash via TechCrunch

The release of OpenAI's new GPT-4o "omni" model in May significantly boosted ChatGPT's app revenue, leading to its highest-earning month. In July, the mobile version of OpenAI's chatbot generated $28M in net income from the App Store and Google Play, according to app intelligence firm Appfigures. This net revenue reflects the earnings after deducting Apple and Google's in-app purchase fees, with the App Store alone contributing 83% of the total—a 20% increase from June.

The app's gross revenue before fees was $28.9M in May, $34M in June, and $39.9M in July. GPT-4o brought new capabilities to ChatGPT, including handling text, speech, and video, offering faster response times, and enabling interruptions during interactions, making the AI more human-like and natural.

This advanced technology drove a 40% revenue increase in May, and although the growth rate has slowed, revenue continues to rise steadily. Appfigures estimates the app gained 2M new paying subscribers in July, setting another record. With the introduction of the Advanced Voice Mode, which offers nearly real-time interactions, continued growth is anticipated in the coming months. Read more! 

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  3. 🌗 Space-as-a-service startup Muon Space closed a $56.7M fundraising round to scale its satellite platform. 

  4. 🪅 Mexican fintech Aviva raised a $5.5M seed round to expand its AI-powered credit kiosks, aiming for 50 cities by year-end.

  5. ⚙️ EtherealX raises $5M in seed funding to innovate fully reusable launch vehicles, aiming for cost-efficient space missions.

Maven co-founder steps down amid growth challenges

Getty Images vía TechCrunch

Three months after Maven's public launch, co-founder Kenneth Stanley, a former OpenAI researcher, is stepping down. Despite initial enthusiasm, Stanley cited the platform's inability to achieve the necessary growth for further investment. To extend Maven’s operational runway, Stanley and co-founder Blas Moros explored other opportunities, leaving CTO Jimmy Secretan in charge.

Stanley emphasized that while securing funding was preferable, their decision allows Maven to survive and continue its mission of fostering deep, meaningful conversations without the typical engagement-driven features. This unique approach has made rapid growth challenging.

Backed by Twitter co-founder Ev Williams and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Maven faces an uncertain future as it seeks to expand its user base before monetizing. Secretan remains committed to maintaining Maven's core philosophy while attracting more users, while Stanley looks forward to new opportunities in AI research. You can read more here. 

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