How Is OpenAI’s CEO Leading Enterprise With New Alliances?

OpenAI used DevDay 2025 to set a clear leadership agenda: translate its consumer momentum into enterprise-scale value. 

CEO Sam Altman framed the shift as a strategic priority as the company unveiled app integrations, product development collaborations and infrastructure partnerships, including a 6 gigawatt agreement with AMD to support model training at scale. 

At a press conference following his keynote that the company would pursue enterprise clients with renewed focus, he said: “You should expect a huge focus from us on really leaning into enterprise."

Apps SDK brings Spotify, Zillow & Booking.com to ChatGPT

The centre piece released in preview for developers is the Apps SDK - the software lets third-party services plug directly into ChatGPT. 

Early partners include Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Figma, Expedia, Spotify and Zillow, with DoorDash, Instacart, Uber and AllTrails stated to follow.

In a live demo, OpenAI showed how users could ask ChatGPT to generate a Spotify playlist or instruct Zillow to filter to three-bed, three-bath homes. When users begin a message with an app name—“Spotify, make a playlist for my party this Friday” - ChatGPT surfaces the app and applies context.

The first connection prompts a consent flow so people understand what data may be shared. Spotify emphasised user control, noting it would not share data to train OpenAI models. “Connecting Spotify to ChatGPT is opt-in and you’re always in control: You can connect or disconnect at any time,” it said.

Nick Turley, Head of ChatGPT, suggested this marks a product leadership evolution, with ChatGPT moving “from an app that is really, really useful into something that feels a little bit more like an operating system” over the next six months.

Mattel pilots Sora 2 video model for product development

On the product development front, Mattel is piloting OpenAI’s Sora 2 video model to compress design cycles - from sketch to shareable visual concepts.

“Mattel has been a great partner working with us to test Sora 2 in the API (application programming interface) and see what they can do to bring product ideas to life more quickly,” Sam says. “So one of their designers can now start with a sketch and then turn these early concepts into something that you can see and share and react to.”

This extends a broader strategic pact announced in June 2025, which saw Mattel adopt ChatGPT Enterprise and co-develop AI-powered experiences across brands such as Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price and American Girl.

Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s Chief Operating Officer, underscored the operational ambition: “We’re pleased to work with Mattel as it moves to introduce thoughtful AI-powered experiences and products into its iconic brands, while also providing its employees the benefits of ChatGPT.”

Joining the infrastructure initiative 

OpenAI also advanced its infrastructure leadership through its global Stargate initiative, striking strategic partnerships in Korea with Samsung and SK Telecom. The focus: expanding advanced memory supply and regional data centre capacity.

Plans include scaling to 900,000 DRAM (US$2,360) wafer starts per month at an accelerated cadence, a partnership with SK Telecom to explore an AI data centre in Korea and an agreement with Samsung C&T, Samsung Heavy Industries and Samsung SDS to assess further capacity.

Samsung SDS signed a letter of intent to co-develop Stargate AI data centres, provide enterprise AI services and serve as a reseller of OpenAI services in Korea.

“Korea has all the ingredients to be a global leader in AI – incredible tech talent, world-class infrastructure, strong government support and a thriving AI ecosystem,” Sam says. “We’re excited to work with Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and the Ministry of Science and ICT through our global Stargate initiative to support Korea’s AI ambitions.”

OpenAI prepares ChatGPT for enterprise-scale use

The CEO told journalists the timing reflects readiness for enterprise-grade needs. “We needed to let the models get better. The models are there now,” he said, adding that the company had selected “a few active early partnerships.”

Financially, OpenAI has remained unprofitable due to billions of dollars in annual computing and research costs.

ChatGPT now serves more than 800 million weekly users and the startup completed a secondary share sale in October that propelled it to become the most valuable startup in the world at US$500bn valuation. 

As for profitability, Sam was candid about leadership priorities: “not in my top 10 concerns, but we obviously someday have to be very profitable.”