In a strategic move that signals OpenAI’s growing commercial ambitions, the ChatGPT maker has appointed Slack co-founder and CEO Stewart Butterfield as its first-ever Chief Revenue Officer. This high-profile hire comes at a pivotal moment for the AI powerhouse, which has rapidly transformed from a research lab into a company with a reported $80 billion valuation. Butterfield, who led Slack to a $27.7 billion acquisition by Salesforce in 2021, brings valuable experience in scaling software platforms and monetizing enterprise products—expertise that will be crucial as OpenAI seeks to convert its technological innovations into sustainable revenue streams.
Butterfield’s appointment reflects OpenAI’s evolution toward a more business-focused approach under CEO Sam Altman’s leadership. The company has been aggressively expanding its commercial offerings, including its ChatGPT Enterprise service and API access for developers. Industry analysts view this hire as a clear indication that OpenAI is preparing to accelerate its monetization efforts amid intensifying competition from rivals like Anthropic, Google, and Meta. With Butterfield’s proven track record in building and scaling successful SaaS businesses, OpenAI appears positioned to develop more sophisticated go-to-market strategies for its AI technologies across various sectors.