Welcome to the forefront of conversational AI as we explore the fascinating world of AI chatbots in our dedicated blog series. Discover the latest advancements, applications, and strategies that propel the evolution of chatbot technology. From enhancing customer interactions to streamlining business processes, these articles delve into the innovative ways artificial intelligence is shaping the landscape of automated conversational agents. Whether you’re a business owner, developer, or simply intrigued by the future of interactive technology, join us on this journey to unravel the transformative power and endless possibilities of AI chatbots.
OpenAI has confirmed it will trial advertising in ChatGPT in the United States, with adverts shown to some users on the free version of the service as well as a new lower-cost subscription tier, ChatGPT Go.
ChatGPT Go will be priced at $8 a month in the US, with equivalent pricing rolled out globally. The tier sits below existing paid plans, which include ChatGPT Plus at $20 a month and ChatGPT Pro at $200.
During the trial, adverts will appear at the top of the interface after a user submits a prompt. For example, someone asking ChatGPT for travel recommendations in Mexico may see holiday-related adverts displayed as banner-style placements. OpenAI stressed that the adverts will not influence ChatGPT’s answers and that conversation data will not be shared with advertisers.
The company said it was exploring advertising “so more people can benefit from our tools with fewer usage limits”, signalling that ads could help subsidise wider access to the platform.
The move comes amid growing scrutiny of the economics of the AI sector. Despite explosive user growth, many leading AI companies are still operating at significant losses. The Financial Times reported that OpenAI lost around $8bn (£6bn) in the first half of 2025 alone, with only about 5 per cent of ChatGPT’s estimated 800 million users paying for a subscription.
Henry Ajder, an expert in AI, deepfakes and synthetic media, said the decision was unsurprising given the company’s financial position.
“OpenAI has seen enormous growth in users, but it continues to burn investor cash and is not yet a profit-making entity,” he said. “To turn that around, it needs revenue sources beyond subscriptions. For many software businesses, advertising is a proven and reliable model.”
OpenAI was originally founded as a non-profit research organisation but has steadily evolved into a more commercial operation as the costs of building and running large AI models have surged. Advertising has underpinned much of the internet economy for more than two decades, funding everything from search engines to social media platforms.
Despite this, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has previously been sceptical about ads, once describing them as “a last resort”. Nevertheless, OpenAI is not alone in reconsidering the approach. Rival AI firm Perplexity created a senior advertising role last year, while Google has denied reports that it plans to introduce ads into its Gemini AI assistant in 2026.
Analysts say OpenAI’s experiment will be closely watched across the tech sector. If successful, it could mark a turning point in how consumer AI products are funded — and potentially signal that the era of ad-free chatbots is coming to an end.
https://bmmagazine.co.uk/
Jamie is Senior Reporter at Business Matters, bringing over a decade of experience in UK SME business reporting. Jamie holds a degree in Business Administration and regularly participates in industry conferences and workshops. When not reporting on the latest business developments, Jamie is passionate about mentoring up-and-coming journalists and entrepreneurs to inspire the next generation of business leaders.
Amazon is carrying out tuberculosis (TB) testing at its Coventry fulfilment centre after a small number of workers were found to have the infectious lung disease.
Gary Neville has sold a majority stake in The Overlap to Global as the sports media brand targets global growth.
Beyoncé has officially joined the billionaire club, according to Forbes, driven by record-breaking tours, a hit concert film and major brand partnerships.
