OpenAI will introduce advertising within ChatGPT, beginning trials for logged-in adult users in the United States, as it addresses rising artificial intelligence system costs.
The company said Friday it would test ads in the free version of ChatGPT and for subscribers to its new $8 per month “Go” plan. Users with Plus, Pro, or business accounts will not see advertisements. This change follows CEO Sam Altman’s previous discomfort with advertising, as OpenAI faces financial pressure while aiming for $20 billion in annual revenue by late 2025 and investing an estimated $1.4 trillion in AI development over eight years.
Ads will appear labeled as “sponsored” beneath ChatGPT’s responses and will not influence system answers. OpenAI stated it would not sell user conversations or personal data to advertisers. Users can disable ad personalization, and ads will not appear in discussions on regulated topics like health, mental health, or politics. Users under 18 will not see ads, with AI tools estimating age based on usage patterns.
“Users need to trust that ChatGPT’s responses are driven by what’s objectively useful,” the company said.
OpenAI noted advertising could generate revenue, particularly because ChatGPT captures user intent. For example, a user planning a vacation could see ads for hotels or travel services. Future ad formats may allow users to directly ask questions about promoted products. “Given what AI can do, we’re excited to develop new experiences over time that people find more helpful and relevant than any other ads,” the company said. “Soon you might see an ad and be able to directly ask the questions you need to make a purchase decision.”
This ad rollout follows previous efforts to expand ChatGPT into a commerce and lifestyle platform, including the 2023 launch of “Instant Checkout” for purchases from retailers such as Walmart and Etsy. The company has also added tools for health, learning, and productivity to encourage daily use and paid upgrades.
Integrating ads into conversational AI carries risks, as ChatGPT interactions can be personal, potentially making advertising feel intrusive. Product safety concerns also rise, particularly after lawsuits accused the chatbot of user harm in prior cases. Altman previously stated in a 2024 interview that he “hates” ads and described mixing them with AI as “uniquely unsettling,” but later indicated any advertising would require careful design.
OpenAI’s decision aligns with a broader industry trend; Meta began using data from its AI chatbot interactions for personalized advertising in December. For OpenAI, this initiative represents a step into new territory, balancing user trust, ethical considerations, and the financial demands of scaling AI globally.
