Rohan Paul
@rohanpaul_ai
Power users are driving consumer AI market growth.
55% of AI users now pay for AI, but spending is highly concentrated; the top 14% of payers account for 60% of spending.
With few new users arriving, ad-funded AI assistants will likely grow ad revenue mainly by making free users' shopping conversations more valuable. ChatGPT began showing ads in February, and OpenAI says they reached a $1 billion annual pace about 200 days later.
(chart from Menloventures, 2026: The State of Consumer AI report)
