OpenAI Lets Some Customers Pay Only When AI Performs

OpenAI has reportedly started offering select major customers a novel payment option, The Information reported on August 30, citing an anonymous source. This shift in pricing strategy comes as software firms transition from subscription fees to charging based on usage and the AI's effectiveness in boosting company performance. Salesforce, a customer relationship management software company, is among those embracing this practice, allowing businesses to select their preferred payment method for Agentforce AI, which includes negotiating custom contracts tied to the AI's impact on revenue growth or cost savings through automation.

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff revealed this during an investor call, highlighting the evolving landscape of software pricing in the age of AI. The trend of "outcome-based" pricing, pioneered by startups like OpenAI, poses challenges in attributing cost savings to either the enterprise customer's efforts or the software itself. To address this, Stripe has released guidelines for outcome-based pricing, acknowledging that success may stem from factors beyond the software provider, such as marketing campaigns or seasonal variations.

This shift in SaaS economics represents a structural recalibration, according to PYMNTS, rather than the end of subscription models. The per-seat model of AI pricing has been successful in aligning the interests of customers, vendors, and investors; however, the increasing automation of tasks by AI agents complicates these arrangements.