By skyforbes 
Sam Altman’s Master Plan
When ChatGPT launched, it wasn’t just a product release — it was a cultural earthquake. Millions rushed to try it, and within days, people were asking: “Wait… how is this even free?”
After all, training and running large AI models costs millions of dollars in computing power. Servers don’t pay for themselves, and GPUs aren’t falling from the sky. So why did Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, make ChatGPT free in the first place? What’s the catch?
The answer reveals one of the smartest growth strategies in tech history.
Step 1: Hook the World With Free Access
In business, there’s an old saying: “If you’re not paying, you’re the product.”
Sam Altman knew this well. By making ChatGPT free at launch, OpenAI removed every barrier to entry. Curiosity alone was enough to get people to sign up. And sign up they did — over 100 million users in just 2 months, making ChatGPT the fastest-growing consumer app ever.
This wasn’t generosity. It was deliberate. Altman turned “AI curiosity” into a global onboarding funnel. Free access wasn’t just about goodwill — it was the bait.