OpenAI Likely to Launch New Model on February 12

In the first week of February 2026, OpenAI unleashed an aggressive series of moves that may go down in AI industry history. ChatGPT surpassed 800 million weekly active users, and a record-breaking $100 billion funding round is nearing completion. Add to that last week's GPT-5.3-Codex launch, a confirmed new Chat model update this week, and the introduction of ads, and the AI landscape is being rapidly reshaped.

CEO Sam Altman announced on the company's internal Slack on February 7 that ChatGPT's monthly growth rate had exceeded 10%. Just two months after declaring "Code Red" in December 2025, OpenAI has successfully reignited its growth trajectory. Here's a breakdown of the changes OpenAI has made recently.

1. GPT-5.3-Codex Launch: The Most Powerful AI Coding Model Ever

On February 5, OpenAI officially launched GPT-5.3-Codex. Dubbed "the most powerful agentic coding model ever," it goes beyond simple code autocompletion to autonomously handle complex software development tasks. Notably, it was released at the exact same time Anthropic announced Claude Opus 4.6, underscoring the fierce rivalry between the two companies.

Three days earlier, on February 2, OpenAI had also launched a standalone Codex desktop app for macOS, separating the coding capabilities from the ChatGPT interface into a dedicated application. According to Altman, Codex grew approximately 50% in just one week after launch, which he described as "insane." Analysts note that Codex is rapidly eating into Anthropic's Claude Code market share.

2. New ChatGPT Chat Model Confirmed for This Week

Altman revealed in an internal Slack message that an updated Chat model would be released for ChatGPT within the week. While GPT-5.3-Codex is a coding-specialized model, the upcoming Chat model is reportedly a general-purpose model with enhanced conversational and reasoning capabilities. The rapid succession of model releases demonstrates just how aggressively OpenAI is moving to maintain its technological edge.

Since the "Code Red" declaration in December 2025, OpenAI appears to have dramatically accelerated its development pace internally. Shipping three major products in less than two weeks, the standalone Codex app (Feb 2), GPT-5.3-Codex (Feb 5), and the new Chat model (this week), is an unprecedented cadence.

3. $100 Billion Funding and $830 Billion Valuation

OpenAI is currently finalizing a $100 billion funding round. Amazon is investing $50 billion, SoftBank $30 billion, with Microsoft and Nvidia also participating. Once completed, OpenAI's valuation will reach approximately $830 billion, making it the largest private company funding in history.

Altman is targeting an IPO by the end of 2026, and this round is expected to be the last major fundraise before going public. With astronomical costs for AI infrastructure and model development, this level of capital serves as a powerful weapon to widen the gap with competitors.

4. ChatGPT Ad Rollout: Monetizing Free Users

Starting February 10, ChatGPT will begin testing advertisements. The rollout targets free-tier and Go (low-cost) plan users. OpenAI announced its advertising plans on January 16, and is now moving to execution.

This marks a critical inflection point as OpenAI's revenue model shifts from subscription-only to a hybrid subscription-plus-advertising approach. A user base of over 800 million weekly active users carries enormous value as an advertising platform. However, user backlash over ads being inserted into an AI chatbot is anticipated, making the test results a focal point for the industry.

5. Intensifying AI Rivalry with Anthropic

Competition with Anthropic looms large behind OpenAI's recent moves. Anthropic ran a Super Bowl ad that appeared to mock OpenAI, prompting Altman to fire back, calling it "deceptive." GPT-5.3-Codex was also released simultaneously with Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.6 announcement, making clear that both companies are keenly aware of each other.

The AI coding tools market is seeing a direct showdown between Codex and Claude Code. Codex's explosive growth is threatening Claude Code's market share, and this competition is rapidly driving up the quality of AI coding tools across the board.

6. OpenAI Timeline Recap

This concentration of events within just two weeks is unprecedented in OpenAI's history. The timeline reveals how urgently OpenAI perceives the competitive threat and how effectively that urgency has been channeled into execution.

Conclusion: Can OpenAI Turn Crisis into Opportunity?

Starting from the "Code Red" crisis declaration in December 2025, OpenAI has mounted a breathless counteroffensive in just two months: GPT-5.3-Codex launch, new Chat model confirmation, $100 billion investment, and ad rollout. The transformation of urgency into execution is undeniable.

Yet whether this aggressive strategy will translate into genuine opportunity remains uncertain. Can they generate returns worthy of astronomical investments? Can they fend off Anthropic and Google's pursuit? Will ad integration drive users away? Whether OpenAI can turn this crisis into opportunity will be the biggest storyline in the AI market of 2026.