OpenAI has announced that it will begin testing advertisements inside the ChatGPT experience in the United States. This will be the first time ads appear in the popular AI chatbot. The initial rollout is expected to start in the coming weeks for adult users on the free tier and the newly launched ChatGPT Go plan.
The move comes alongside the U.S. launch of ChatGPT Go which is a lower cost subscription priced at $8 per month. The Go plan offers additional features such as image generation and higher usage limits compared to the free version.
OpenAI said that advertisements will be clearly labeled and kept visually separate from ChatGPT’s AI responses. Ads will appear at the bottom of an answer and only when there is a relevant sponsored product or service linked to the user’s query. Users will be able to dismiss ads and also control or completely turn off ad personalization.
Ads will not be shown to users under the age of 18. OpenAI also confirmed that ads will not appear alongside conversations related to sensitive or regulated topics such as health mental health or politics. The company emphasized that conversations will remain private and that user data will not be sold to advertisers.
This decision reflects OpenAI’s broader effort to create new revenue streams beyond subscriptions while continuing to support the growth and accessibility of its AI products which are used by hundreds of millions of people globally.
OpenAI clarified that paid plans above the free and Go tiers including Plus Pro Business and Enterprise will remain ad free during the testing phase.
The company also stated that ads will not affect or influence the actual responses generated by ChatGPT. Ad formats and placements may change over time based on early user feedback as testing continues.
