tech
January 24, 2026
A new test for AI labs: Are you even trying to make money?
It’s getting hard to tell which AI labs. are actually trying to make money. We created a rating system to help sort it out.
TL;DR
- A new five-level scale measures AI companies' ambition to make money, not their current revenue.
- Level 5 signifies significant daily profits, while Level 1 represents a focus on self-love over wealth.
- OpenAI, Anthropic, and Gemini are placed at Level 5.
- Humans& is rated at Level 3 for its product ideas but lack of specific monetization plans.
- Thinking Machines Lab's rating is uncertain due to executive departures and potential strategic shifts.
- World Labs is assessed as Level 4, having released both a model and a commercial product.
- Safe Superintelligence (SSI) is categorized as Level 1, prioritizing scientific research over commercialization.