Yahoo Finance·2025-11-29 11:00Core Insights - The release of ChatGPT has significantly transformed the corporate landscape and investor sentiment, marking a notable shift in stock prices and operational workflows [1][2][3] - The economy is increasingly K-shaped, highlighting a growing divide between financial haves and have-nots, both in corporate and consumer sectors [2] - ChatGPT catalyzed a technological boom, reversing a challenging market environment that had persisted since the financial crisis [3] Market Context - The S&P 500 index experienced a 25% decline from its record high at the beginning of 2022, hitting its lowest point in October 2022 before rebounding nearly 13% by the time ChatGPT was released [5] - In late 2022, inflation was high, and the Federal Reserve was raising interest rates aggressively, impacting tech stocks that had previously thrived during the pandemic [6] - Major tech companies saw significant stock declines in 2022, with Nvidia down almost 70%, Apple down nearly 30%, and Amazon shares halved [7] Company Valuation - OpenAI's valuation skyrocketed from $14 billion before the release of ChatGPT to $500 billion today, positioning it among the world's most valuable companies [9]