OpenAI is considering significant reductions in the prices it charges customers for access to its artificial intelligence models as competition in the rapidly growing AI industry continues to intensify.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, the ChatGPT maker is exploring options to lower the cost of tokens the units used to measure and bill AI usage in a move aimed at strengthening its position against rival AI firm Anthropic.

The report noted that discussions remain ongoing and no final decision has been made regarding the extent or timing of any potential price reductions.

Tokens serve as the fundamental unit for calculating costs in generative AI systems. They represent pieces of text processed by AI models, and pricing is typically based on the volume of tokens consumed when users submit prompts and receive responses.

A reduction in token prices could significantly lower operating costs for businesses and developers that rely heavily on AI services.

The potential move comes as competition among leading AI companies escalates, with firms increasingly battling for enterprise customers, developers, and market share. OpenAI and Anthropic have emerged as two of the most prominent players in the sector, offering advanced large language models that power a growing range of business applications.

The reported pricing review comes just days after OpenAI confidentially filed paperwork for an initial public offering (IPO), signaling its intention to eventually access public markets as competition among artificial intelligence firms accelerates.

The company disclosed on June 8 that it had submitted a confidential S-1 registration statement to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), giving it the flexibility to proceed with a public offering at a later date.

OpenAI noted that while it has not yet decided on the timing of an IPO, the confidential filing preserves the option to move quickly should market conditions become favorable.

The filing followed a similar move by Anthropic, the maker of Claude, which recently submitted IPO paperwork to the SEC, becoming the first major generative AI company to formally begin the process of listing on public markets.

Lower pricing could help OpenAI expand usage of its models, boost customer acquisition, and strengthen its competitive position ahead of any future market debut.

The company was valued at approximately $852 billion following its latest fundraising round in March, making it one of the world’s most valuable private technology firms.

Despite its soaring valuation, OpenAI is yet to achieve profitability and has previously indicated that it may not become profitable until the end of the decade.