Sam Altman reveals OpenAI’s plan to handle soaring GPT-5 demand

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman

OpenAI is reshuffling its computing priorities to manage the spike in demand brought on by GPT-5. In a message to users, CEO Sam Altman said the company’s first focus will be on ensuring current paying ChatGPT subscribers receive more total usage than before the launch of GPT-5. In a post on social media platform X, Altman explained how OpenAI plans to deal with rising demand.

The second priority will be meeting existing commitments to API customers. Altman noted that OpenAI can accommodate roughly 30% more API growth from current levels within the existing compute capacity.

Once those needs are met, OpenAI will work on enhancing the quality of the free ChatGPT tier, which has often been restricted during peak times. Only after this will the company open the door to new API customers.

The company is also taking steps to avoid these bottlenecks in the future. Altman revealed that OpenAI is “doubling our compute fleet over the next five months,” calling it a significant boost that should ease capacity constraints.

The phased approach underscores the challenge of scaling AI services while managing a diverse user base — from casual free-tier users to enterprise API clients with contractual guarantees. GPT-5, which has seen rapid adoption since its release, is pushing OpenAI’s infrastructure to new limits.

By laying out a clear order of priorities and committing to a major hardware expansion, Altman appears intent on avoiding the service disruptions that have plagued other fast-growing tech rollouts. The next few months, however, will test how well the plan holds up under the surging demand for more powerful AI tools.