OpenAI has started experimenting with advertisements in its AI chatbot, marking a new approach to monetization while keeping user interactions private. The test pilot, currently limited to the US, affects ChatGPT free and ChatGPT Go subscribers, while higher-tier subscriptions remain ad-free.
According to OpenAI, users’ conversations, prompts, and chat history will not be shared with advertisers. Free users can also opt out of seeing ads “in exchange for fewer daily free” prompts, or upgrade to Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, or Education tiers to avoid commercials entirely. The company emphasized that sponsored suggestions “do not influence” ChatGPT’s AI-generated responses.
The AI firm explained that the introduction of ads is aimed at supporting “significant infrastructure and ongoing investment” while enabling broader access to ChatGPT. All ads are clearly marked as sponsored and visually separated from the AI’s organic responses. Ads are matched with conversation topics, chat history, and prior interactions to enhance relevance. For instance, a user seeking a recipe may see ads for meal kits or grocery delivery. When multiple advertisers compete for the same category, the chatbot prioritizes the most relevant option.
OpenAI also provides controls for users to dismiss ads, provide feedback, view why a commercial was shown, delete ad data, and manage ad personalization.
The rollout comes shortly after Anthropic criticized OpenAI for including ads in ChatGPT, highlighting that its own AI assistant, Claude, does not feature commercials. Sam Altman responded to the claims, calling Anthropic’s Super Bowl ad campaign “deceptive and dishonest.”
The move reflects OpenAI’s effort to balance monetization with user experience, ensuring transparency while funding ongoing development and infrastructure for its AI ecosystem.
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