OpenAI Confirms Ads Are Coming to ChatGPT
OpenAI has confirmed it will begin testing advertisements on ChatGPT in the coming weeks, marking a major shift in how the AI chatbot is monetised. The move comes as the company seeks new revenue streams to support the rising costs of operating large-scale AI systems.
The ads will initially roll out in the United States and will only appear for free users and lower-tier subscribers. OpenAI said Pro and Enterprise users will continue to get an ad-free experience.
Advertising has long been a sensitive topic for generative AI platforms, with companies wary of disrupting user trust. However, with ChatGPT serving nearly one billion users and only a small fraction paying for subscriptions, OpenAI is under pressure to diversify its revenue streams.
Since launching in 2022, OpenAI’s valuation has surged to around USD500 billion following multiple funding rounds. Despite this, the company continues to burn significant cash, largely due to the high computing costs required to operate and train its models.
OpenAI acknowledged long-standing concerns around ads influencing chatbot responses. The company stressed that advertisements will not affect ChatGPT’s answers and that user conversations will not be shared with advertisers. Ads will be clearly labelled and kept separate from responses.
Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications and a former Meta executive, said maintaining trust is critical. She added that ChatGPT will not be optimised to maximise time spent on the platform, distancing OpenAI from ad-driven social media models.
The announcement comes as OpenAI faces increasing competition from Google, which has rapidly integrated AI into products like Search, Gmail, Maps and YouTube. It also coincides with the wider rollout of ChatGPT Go, the company’s RM38.99 monthly subscription tier.
While OpenAI insists trust will come before revenue, the move signals a new phase for ChatGPT, one where advertising becomes part of the experience for many users.
