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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Published on: February 10, 2026 / Updated on: February 10, 2026 – Author: Konrad Wolfenstein
Advertising in OpenAI's AI chatbot – the end of ad-free days: Why ChatGPT is now becoming an advertising platform for free users – Image: Xpert.Digital
ChatGPT has quickly established itself as an indispensable AI assistant in everyday life – but for many, the era of ad-free use is drawing to a close. OpenAI is facing a crucial strategic shift: To cover the exploding operating costs of data centers and high-performance chips, and to reduce its reliance on subscription-only models, the company is introducing targeted advertising into its chatbot.
This move is far more than a simple marketing update; it marks an attempt to monetize the vast reach of the free basic version. While users of paid plans like "Plus" or "Enterprise" will remain undisturbed, free users will soon find sponsored content below the AI answers. But how will this affect the neutrality of the answers and data privacy? While competitors like Anthropic (Claude) deliberately emphasize ad-free content as a sign of trust, OpenAI plans to generate billions in advertising revenue by the end of the decade. Learn how the new model works, what data is used for personalization, and why this move could put trust in artificial intelligence to the test.
OpenAI is caught in an economic dilemma that isn't limited to a single product decision but affects its entire monetization architecture. ChatGPT has achieved global market dominance as an AI voice assistant within just a few years, but its traditional subscription model is reaching its limits: most users remain on the free version, while conversion rates to paid plans are significantly below expectations. At the same time, the costs for the operating infrastructure are skyrocketing, as tens of thousands of high-performance chips are required in clusters to generate real-time responses. Experts estimate that the daily operation of ChatGPT alone can cost several hundred thousand dollars, depending on the workload.
Against this backdrop, the introduction of advertising is not a spontaneous marketing hype, but a strategic step to ease the cost structure and simultaneously reduce dependence on a purely subscription-based model. According to internal leaks and analyst estimates, OpenAI anticipates a steady increase in revenue until the middle of the decade, with advertising revenue expected to contribute up to half of total revenue in the long term. The planned advertising primarily targets the free basic version and the new, affordable Go plan, while the higher-priced Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise subscriptions will initially remain ad-free. This allows monetization to be specifically targeted at mass users who have previously paid little or nothing.
Advertising in ChatGPT is not placed in the middle of the conversation—at least in the initial phase—but rather displayed below the actual answer. In practice, this means that a user receives an AI-generated response, followed by a clearly separated section at the end of the answer where a sponsored product or service is displayed. OpenAI emphasizes that these ads are clearly labeled and do not appear as "organic" answers. The separation between the AI response and the advertising is intended to be so strong that users can theoretically distinguish which content was generated by the AI and which is paid for by an advertiser.
The target audience is very specific: Initially, it will primarily affect adult, registered users in the US who use the free version or the inexpensive Go plan. According to OpenAI, users under 18 will not see ads directly, and ads will be blocked for logged-in minors. At the same time, ad-free usage scenarios will not be completely eliminated – temporary chats, generated images, and use in the "ChatGPT Atlas" browser will remain ad-free for the time being. The company also clarifies that advertisers will not have direct access to chat content, chat histories, or users' personal data. Instead, only aggregated metrics such as total views or clicks will be provided.
A central point of discussion is the personalization of advertising. OpenAI emphasizes that the ads are not displayed directly based on the specific content of the conversation, but rather on user behavior and profile information. The AI is designed to recognize which information might be useful to the user without sharing the actual content of the chat. In practice, this creates a kind of profile that shows which topics are accessed more frequently, how long the user stays in certain areas, or which types of answers are copied most often.
This personalization can be achieved with relatively little data, as ChatGPT can already learn a great deal about users: where they focus their attention, which terms they use, and which products or services they mention. The combination of behavioral data and contextual information makes it possible to deliver highly targeted advertising that aims not only at age groups but also at specific interests and life situations. The downside of this strategy is that many users find this problematic: the AI often knows more about them than search engines because it asks more personal questions and engages in longer conversations. This increases the risk that users feel their private conversations are being indirectly transformed into commercial interests.
OpenAI is not alone in this field. Competitors like Anthropic have explicitly opted against advertising and position their chatbot Claude as an "ad-free space for reflection." The AI company Anthropic emphasizes that Claude does not allow advertising, sponsored links, or answers influenced by product placements. This stance is understood as a strategic positioning to build trust, particularly in sensitive contexts such as mental health counseling, legal matters, or personal decisions. Anthropic relies on a mix of subscriptions, B2B licenses, and potentially commercial transactions via AI agents, without using advertising as a direct monetization method.
ChatGPT's decision to include advertising is therefore a clear step towards market differentiation: While Anthropic prioritizes trust and an ad-free experience, OpenAI focuses on scalability and profitability. This is reflected in their marketing strategies: OpenAI can rely on a huge user base and broad reach, while Anthropic operates with a smaller, but more strategically focused market. Whether this strategy will be successful in the long term depends on whether users accept advertising or whether they migrate to ad-free alternatives like Claude. Initial tests in the US already show that users are very sensitive to advertising, especially when they feel their conversations are being monetized.
The economic logic behind the advertising is simple: ChatGPT's operating costs are immense, and its revenue potential lies primarily with mass users who don't pay for premium services. OpenAI has invested billions of dollars in data centers, chips, and talent in recent years to build the infrastructure for its AI models. The combination of high fixed costs and rising variable costs makes a purely subscription-based model fragile in the long run. Therefore, the advertising is intended not only to generate additional revenue but also to enable the scaling of the AI services.
The forecasts for the coming years are ambitious: OpenAI anticipates total revenue of $125 billion by 2029, with advertising expected to contribute a significant portion of this income. According to internal estimates, the advertising business alone could reach $1 billion in revenue by 2026 and grow to almost $25 billion by the end of the decade. The combination of subscriptions, advertising, and commercial transactions via AI agents creates a diversified revenue model that is less vulnerable to individual market shifts. At the same time, this increased reliance on advertisers further tightens the balance between user interests and commercial demands.
The biggest uncertainty in the economic model is user acceptance. Advertising can increase revenue, but at the same time damage trust in the objectivity of AI. Many users see ChatGPT as a neutral assistant that pursues no personal interests. If advertising is embedded in the chat, the impression quickly arises that responses could be indirectly influenced by advertisers, even though OpenAI explicitly denies this. This risk is particularly high in sensitive areas such as health, finance, or politics, as users expect AI to have no commercial interests in these fields.
OpenAI is addressing these concerns with a range of transparency measures: clearly separated ads, no direct manipulation of responses, no sharing of chat content with advertisers, and the ability to disable or delete ads. At the same time, personal data control is being expanded to reassure users. However, the effectiveness of these measures will only become apparent in practice. Early reactions from the US already indicate that users are extremely sensitive to ads, especially when they get the impression that private interactions are being monetized.
The introduction of advertising in ChatGPT marks a significant shift in the monetization of AI services. OpenAI is seizing this opportunity to streamline its cost structure while simultaneously expanding the reach of its AI. The combination of subscriptions, advertising, and commercial transactions offers a diversified revenue model that is less vulnerable to market shifts. However, this also increases dependence on advertisers and the risk of undermining trust in the objectivity of AI.
The decision to include advertising is not a simple step, but a strategic compromise between profitability and user acceptance. Whether this compromise will be successful in the long term depends on OpenAI's ability to maintain the balance between commercial interests and user trust. The future of ChatGPT will therefore be determined not only by the technology itself, but also by the method of monetization. Advertising in the AI chatbot could either become the new norm in the AI economy or serve as a cautionary tale about how easily trust in digital assistants can be lost.
Konrad Wolfenstein
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© February 2026 Xpert.Digital / Xpert.Plus – Konrad Wolfenstein – Business Development