OpenAI Brings Advertising to ChatGPT in Limited US Test
OpenAI announced it will begin testing ads in ChatGPT for free and Go tier users in the United States, marking the first time advertisements will appear within the ChatGPT experience. The company has maintained strict boundaries around how and where these ads will be displayed.
Who Will See Ads?
Ads will only appear for Free and Go users in the US who are adults, with Go being a $8-per-month subscription tier that offers expanded messaging, image generation, file uploads, and memory features. Paid tiers including Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu accounts will remain completely ad-free.
How Ads Will Be Displayed
Ads will appear only at the bottom of responses when there is a relevant sponsored product or service tied to the active conversation. They will be clearly labeled, visually distinct from answers, and dismissible. Users will be able to see why a particular ad is being shown and turn off ad personalization entirely.
Protected Areas and User Privacy
Ads will not appear near sensitive or regulated topics including health, mental health, and politics, and users under 18 will not see ads at all. Critically, conversations will not be shared with advertisers, and OpenAI confirmed it never sells user data to advertisers.
OpenAI’s Advertising Principles
OpenAI emphasized that ads do not influence ChatGPT’s responses, which remain optimized based on what’s most helpful to users. The company frames advertising as supporting its mission to make AI more accessible while maintaining a high bar for ad quality and user control.
Revenue Strategy Ahead of IPO
The testing comes as OpenAI looks to expand revenue ahead of a potential IPO, with the company planning to spend more than $1 trillion on artificial intelligence infrastructure by 2030. OpenAI could generate significant ad income from ChatGPT’s estimated 800 million weekly active users.
The test represents a cautious monetization approach, with OpenAI committing to adjusting ad formats based on user feedback once testing begins.
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