The AI revolution will be monetized

Is it just me or did things just get real?

As the race to scale and own the AI infrastructure ramps up with big bets on profitability, data is increasingly becoming a precious resource.

Last week when OpenAI announced ChatGPT would be introducing user ads, it signaled a new era for the company built on the premise of creating safe AI that benefits humanity. Two years ago, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said he saw ads as a last resort. Profits may be something the company OpenAI doesn't have a lot of, but data – it has a treasure trove. 

I’m curious to see if other AI companies follow suit.

It opens up the question: Can they implement ads without destroying user trust?

My prediction: The AI leaders who build user trust, take more steps to safeguard data and operate with transparency will ultimately be the ones that succeed.

No matter what industry you are in, there’s never been a better time to step up, lead and share ideas. This week we’re HyperFixed on how to preserve, amplify and spread ideas that are uniquely our own instead of outsourcing that to AI.

How do you monetize a business that’s on track to operate at a $207 billion deficit and requires over a million GPUs, billions of dollars of infrastructure, and thousands of employees? 

With ads of course! If you are a free or Go user of ChatGPT, you will soon see ads popping up in your queries. And while Open AI promises not to sell our data and conversations to advertisers, we’ve all been there done that with Meta. That’s because while Meta doesn’t outright sell our data, instead, they sell access to you for targeted ads, showing ads to users based on profiles built from your activity, with advertisers paying for placement, not your raw data. It’s unclear whether OpenAI will follow that route. 

Some say this is another nail in the coffin for OpenAI’s original mission of bringing AGI to the masses for a better world without being constrained by the need to generate financial return. Others may see it as a necessary business strategy to generate revenue and satisfy investors while ensuring longevity.

What’s your take? 

Is traditional education becoming obsolete? 

This article examines potential job market disruption due to AI and how the mass schooling model is failing to keep up. It predicts that AI will unleash the largest generation of entrepreneurs we’ve seen, and I agree. It’s time to normalize gap years, entrepreneurship pathways, and other nontraditional models after high school. 

Hot Take: There’s a clear trend of young people feeling discontent with the traditional four-year degree and discouraged by the perceived lack of alternatives. While college can provide important networks and resources, we’ve never lived in a world where AI is growing at this pace. Those who innovate, create solutions, and pursue hybrid paths will be best positioned in the new economy. 

This week I learned about a collaboration to develop an AI system to predict reef health and protect the success of a 100-hectare reefscape as part of the KAUST Coral Restoration Initiative (KCRI). The project was announced in July and is a partnership with the UK-based AI company digiLab.

Why I’m raising my glass: Coral reefs are facing an unprecedented crisis. Since 2023, a global bleaching event driven by extreme ocean heat has affected about 84% of the world’s reefs, making it the most widespread bleaching event ever recorded. At the same time, long-term damage has already taken a heavy toll: an estimated 30–50% of coral reefs have been lost, with global coral cover declining steadily for decades. 

NEWSLETTER BIZ LAB

This week Matt McGarry, from Grow Letter, talked about how important it is to solve a problem for your readers if you want to grow your newsletter fast. That landed for me. 

The HyperFix was created to inspire people to bring their ideas to life through newsletters, while navigating AI, writing, and content creation without losing their voice or their values. To do that well, my team and I are looking for feedback about what’s helping, what’s missing, and where we can do better.

Your answers help shape where Hyperfix goes next.

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🔥 EXTRA HYPE

AI could make up 12 percent of all American energy consumption by 2028 

Elon Musk says OpenAI owes him $137B 

Retailers have FOMO in the AI revolution 

Claude Coworking gets access to your desktop 

Venture financing for SaaS startups was up 75 percent in 2025

Former OpenAI policy lead takes AI safety into his own hands

With creative curiosity,
Lucy Elizabeth, cofounder & CEO ThinkSpiral

📨 P.S. If you are building a newsletter and want to eliminate the weekly scramble, that is exactly what my team and I can help you do.

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And if this sparked something, forward it to an AI-curious friend.