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OpenAI will begin testing ads on ChatGPT, showing them only to free and lower-tier users. Pro and Enterprise plans stay ad-free. The move helps cover rising AI costs, with ads clearly labelled, no chat sharing, no influence on answers, and a focus on user privacy.
OpenAI has announced that it will start testing advertisements on ChatGPT in the coming weeks, marking a major shift in how the popular AI chatbot will generate revenue. The company said the ads will first appear in the United States and will be shown only to free and lower-tier users.
Users subscribed to ChatGPT Pro and Enterprise plans will remain ad-free. The announcement was made in a blog post on Friday, as the company looks for new ways to support the growing cost of running large-scale artificial intelligence systems.
ChatGPT has close to one billion users worldwide, but only a small share of them pay for subscriptions. At the same time, OpenAI spends heavily on computing infrastructure needed to run its AI models.
According to industry analysts, advertising has become a practical option to balance these costs. Since ChatGPT launched in 2022, OpenAI’s valuation has risen sharply, reaching around $500 billion in recent funding rounds. However, the company continues to burn cash due to the high cost of powerful data centres and advanced chips.
Jeremy Goldman, an analyst at Emarketer, said ads are now part of staying competitive in the AI race. He said monetising attention without losing user trust is the real challenge ahead.
OpenAI said advertisements will be clearly labelled and kept separate from ChatGPT responses. The company said that ads will not influence ChatGPT’s answers or recommendations.
“Ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you,” OpenAI said in its statement. Responses will continue to be generated based on what is most useful to the user, not on advertising goals.
The company also confirmed that user conversations will not be shared with advertisers, addressing long-standing concerns about privacy and data use.
With this move, OpenAI’s business model starts to resemble companies like Google and Meta, which rely heavily on advertising to fund free digital services. Unlike OpenAI, these companies already have large ad businesses that support their AI investments.
OpenAI said it will not optimise ChatGPT for time spent, distancing itself from platforms such as social media and video apps that focus on engagement to increase ad views. The company added that user trust and experience remain its priority.
Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of applications and a former Meta executive, said maintaining trust is essential as ads are introduced. She said ChatGPT’s value depends on users believing that answers are helpful and neutral.
For now, the ad rollout is limited to the US and only affects free and lower-tier users. Premium subscribers will continue to get an ad-free experience. The move also comes as OpenAI expands its lower-cost ChatGPT Go plan, priced at $8 per month, across multiple markets.
As competition grows from Google’s Gemini and other AI tools integrated into apps like Gmail and YouTube, OpenAI’s decision highlights how AI companies are balancing innovation with long-term sustainability.
Abhinav is a versatile and adaptive journalist who covers defence, space, and technology for WION. He specialises in breaking down complex subjects into clear, engaging stories tha…Read More
