How Ask AI made millions on ChatGPT

When ChatGPT appeared in late 2022, the whole world was discussing artificial intelligence. Some said AI would replace programmers, others called it a tech bubble, others just tested the new toy. But while most discussed the technology, a small group of entrepreneurs saw a different opportunity — to earn on someone else's product.

That's how hundreds of Ask AI apps appeared.

A nice wrapper around someone else's technology

At first glance they looked like revolutionary AI services: nice design, a convenient interface, a mobile app, a subscription, push notifications. But behind the scenes many of them used the very models already available through OpenAI. The technology belonged to some companies, while the money was made by entirely different ones.

And the most interesting part: for a while these apps earned more than many expected from ChatGPT itself. According to mobile-market analysts, the app Chat & Ask AI earned about $3.38 million in subscription revenue in a single month of 2023. Another popular app, ChatOn, earned over $2 million in the same period.

Why marketing won, not technology

While OpenAI was developing models, dozens of companies were building real arbitrage machines:

• buying traffic en masse on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and other networks;
• launching thousands of ad creatives;
• testing dozens of funnels;
• scaling the combinations that showed a payback.

The funnel was simple. A user saw an ad "Ask AI anything," downloaded the app, got a few free queries, and then signed up for a subscription costing a few dollars a week. That's where the business economics began.

Many companies didn't create the technology. They simply packaged it better than the rest.

The lesson for marketers

The AI boom became one of the best examples that, in today's world, marketing is often more important than the development itself. You can have the best technology on the market and lose. Or you can take an existing technology, package it right, buy traffic and build a multi-million business.

Most entrepreneurs are obsessed with creating a new product. But the biggest money is often made not on the innovation but on the right distribution. The Ask AI story showed this perfectly: while some built artificial intelligence, others built sales channels — and it was those channels that let them earn millions on one of the biggest trends of the decade.