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.
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By Digby Werthmuller
Topic:AI
The prospect of advertising on AI platform ChatGPT has raised privacy concerns among some digital rights advocates. (ABC News: Sharon Gordon)
OpenAI is trialling ads in ChatGPT in the US that will appear at the bottom of answers.
Digital rights activists have raised concerns over privacy and warn that other companies may follow suit.
Australians are being urged to push for better consumer protections and to be cautious about what they share with chatbots.
Soon when you ask ChatGPT a personal question, the answer could come with an advertisement attached.
OpenAI has confirmed it is testing ads within its popular chatbot in the United States, targeting free and low-tier subscription users.
There are plans to gradually expand the rollout to other countries, though there is no official launch date yet for Australia.
That prospect is raising privacy concerns among digital rights advocates, who warn AI chatbots serve a more intimate space than traditional social media platforms.
Advertisements would be based on a user's current conversation. (Supplied: OpenAI)
The company said advertisements would appear at the bottom of answers and would be based on a user's current conversation.
OpenAI said if certain settings were switched on, such as "personalised ads" and "memory", it could allow for advertisements to appear based off previous chats.
The idea that advertisements could be shaped by personal prompts, which often include sensitive questions about health, finances, relationships or work, represents what Digital Rights Watch has described as an "emergent field".
"We will gradually increase exposure of the test to more and more users in the US before any plans to expand in other markets," an OpenAI spokesperson told the ABC.
The move marks a significant shift for the company, despite founder Sam Altman having previously expressed his discomfort around advertising models.
With hundreds of millions of users worldwide, ChatGPT is one of the fastest-growing consumer technology products globally.
The prospect is raising privacy concerns among digital rights advocates. (ABC News: Abubakr Sajid)
Industry tech experts have said if OpenAI embraced advertising, other generative AI platforms, including Claude from Anthropic and Google's Gemini, could eventually follow, even though neither had announced similar plans.
"The internet has always been awful for respecting people's privacy," Digital Rights Watch deputy chair Tom Sulston said.
He warned this created a murky area where "we don't have very good consumer protections".
Tom Sulston says the pivot to advertising is driven by the financial realities facing AI companies. (Supplied)
Mr Sulston argued those who could not afford paid subscriptions could ultimately "pay with their privacy".
"AI companies want you to believe it's like a private conversation with a trusted advisor, but actually you're not.
"You're having a conversation with a machine that's not far off the social media machine that seeks to monetise you."
Artificial intelligence got personal for me last week. It also became clear how quickly it's developing, writes Alan Kohler.
The financial realities facing AI companies, Mr Sulston said, were a driving force behind the pivot to advertising.
"AI companies are losing money hand over fist," he said.
"They have real cash flow problems … so they're under a lot of pressure to bring in some money, and the time-honoured way of doing that in the internet is you sell adverts."
OpenAI is testing ads within its popular chatbot in the US. (ABC News: Abubakr Sajid)
Digital Rights Watch, which formed to advocate for the digital rights of Australians, said monetisation of AI tools could be inevitable, but individuals could still push for restrictions.
"People can help by talking with their MP, talking with their senator about their concerns about AI and making sure that it's on the regulatory agenda," Mr Sulston said.
He also urged Australians to be cautious about what they shared with chatbots.
"We need to be cognisant of what information we're putting into where on the internet," he said.
As generative AI becomes more embedded in daily life, the debate may no longer be whether advertising is coming but whether Australia's privacy laws are ready for when it does.
Peter Leonard says Australia's consumer law needs to change. (Supplied)
Peter Leonard, a data and technology consultant and business lawyer, who is also a NSW government AI adviser, said Australia's current regulatory framework was not equipped for the shift.
"It is a fundamentally different world from the traditional world of digital advertising," Mr Leonard said.
"The rules around digital advertising … were developed well before both social media services and smartphones and other internet access devices."
Mr Leonard said the "remarkable ability" that Silicon Valley companies had to gather personal data through generative AI tools presented new challenges for those drafting laws.
"I think we should enact a fair and reasonable overarching test into the Privacy Act, regardless of what the notice and consent settings might be," he said.
"We need amendments to Australian consumer law."
A spokesperson for Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the government was continuing to work on further reforms to "ensure Australia's privacy laws are fit for purpose in the digital age".
It was unclear what those "reforms" would look like and when they would be implemented.
Rather than drafting entirely new laws, Mr Leonard suggested adapting existing frameworks could be the most practical approach, given the speed at which AI technology was evolving.
The Tech Council of Australia noted commercialisation models across AI were evolving rapidly.
"Different providers are taking different approaches, including around advertising models, data use and product design," it said.
OpenAI said if the plans to expand beyond the US progressed they "would work closely with local legal and policy experts to ensure alignment with Australian standards on privacy, data handling, and advertising disclosures" before any rollout.
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