OpenAI to Begin Testing Targeted Ads Inside ChatGPT
OpenAI has confirmed it will begin testing targeted advertising inside ChatGPT, marking a notable shift in how the company plans to generate revenue beyond subscriptions. The initial rollout will be limited to specific user tiers and is scheduled to begin in the United States within the coming weeks.
The move positions advertising as a supporting mechanism for maintaining free access to the platform, while keeping higher-priced subscriptions free from commercial placements.
Who Will See Ads in ChatGPT
According to OpenAI, advertisements will be shown only to users on the Free tier and the newly launched Go tier. The Go tier, introduced globally last week, is priced at $8 per month and offers expanded access to features such as image generation, file uploads, memory, and enhanced messaging.
Users on Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans will not see ads. OpenAI also stated that it will not serve advertising to users it believes are under the age of 18.
The initial testing phase will be limited to the U.S., with no timeline yet provided for international expansion.
How Advertising Will Appear in Conversations
The company describes the ads as contextual, appearing at the bottom of a conversation and tied to the subject currently being discussed. These placements will be clearly labeled and visually separated from ChatGPT’s generated responses.
OpenAI said it is exploring formats that go beyond traditional static links. In future iterations, users may be able to interact directly with an advertisement, asking follow-up questions or requesting additional information related to a product or service.
Despite these experiments, OpenAI emphasized that ads will not be blended into answers or presented in a way that could be mistaken for organic output.
Privacy Controls and “Answer Independence”
Advertising inside an AI chatbot raises immediate concerns around data use and trust. OpenAI addressed this directly by outlining what it calls “answer independence.” Under this principle, advertising will have no influence on how ChatGPT generates responses.
The company stated it will not sell user data to advertisers and will not provide advertisers with access to individual conversations. Users will also have direct controls over their experience, including:
- The ability to dismiss ads
- Explanations for why a particular ad was shown
- The option to disable ad personalization entirely
In addition, OpenAI confirmed that ads will not appear alongside sensitive or regulated topics, including politics, health, and mental health.
The Business Rationale Behind the Shift
OpenAI framed the introduction of ads as a practical step toward sustaining free access to AI tools at scale. As operating costs rise alongside model development and infrastructure demands, advertising offers an alternative revenue stream alongside subscriptions.
The company also acknowledged that ads may indirectly encourage upgrades. Users who find advertising disruptive may choose to move to ad-free subscription tiers, reinforcing subscriptions as a premium experience rather than the default.
Wider Implications for AI Platforms
The decision places ChatGPT among a growing group of digital platforms blending conversational interfaces with advertising. Unlike traditional search or social feeds, AI-driven chats introduce new challenges around transparency, influence, and user trust.
How users respond to ads inside a conversational AI and whether OpenAI’s separation between answers and advertising holds up in practice will likely shape how other AI platforms approach monetization going forward.
