OpenAI appears to be working on adding advertisements to ChatGPT, signalling a major shift in how the popular AI chatbot will operate for millions of users. Early signs of this move were discovered in the code of the ChatGPT Android app, where an engineer found references to search ads, an ad carousel and an ad API.
These elements are not active yet, but their presence suggests that an advertising system is being built into the platform. Although the clues surfaced in the Android version, the change is expected to extend to the iOS app, the desktop app and the web version of ChatGPT once the feature goes live.
The repeated mention of search in the code indicates that ads may appear only when users request web lookups or product research. If so, the ad placement would resemble the sponsored results shown on major search engines and shopping sites. OpenAI has not confirmed any details, but the direction of development suggests that ads for free users are coming.
OpenAI currently offers several paid plans, including the Plus plan at twenty dollars per month, the Pro plan at two hundred dollars per month and separate business and education tiers. A more affordable Go plan is available in select countries with limited features. With ads entering the platform, OpenAI could expand these lower cost options to more regions. This may also be a moment for the company to revise pricing across existing plans as it adjusts its business model.
Reports of potential price hikes have circulated for months. Internally, the company has already acknowledged the need to monetise free usage. Leaked forecasts earlier this year mentioned a target of one billion dollars in revenue from free user monetisation by 2026. A year ago, the company leadership described ads as a last resort, but that view appears to have shifted. The company head has recently spoken positively about well targeted ads and hinted that OpenAI aims to create advertising that feels useful rather than distracting.
The introduction of ads would mark a major change for ChatGPT’s free tier and could influence how users engage with the platform going forward.
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