OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is quietly gearing up for one of its biggest shifts yet bringing ads into the world’s most popular AI chatbot. The company is actively building an internal advertising team, led by its new head of applications Fidji Simo, to explore how ads could be integrated into ChatGPT.
Simo, who officially joined OpenAI last month after serving as CEO of Instacart and previously as Head of the Facebook app, is already leading the recruitment drive. According to reports, she has been in talks with several potential candidates for a senior leadership role that will oversee all monetisation efforts at OpenAI. This includes both new advertising initiatives and the company’s existing subscription services.
The move is no small bet. ChatGPT has an estimated 700 million users worldwide, but only around 20 million pay for subscriptions. Ads could unlock a huge revenue stream, potentially bringing in billions for the company. While OpenAI reportedly pulled in $12.7 billion in revenue this year — three times more than in 2024 — it still spends more than it makes, and advertising could be a way to close that gap.
Beyond executive hires, OpenAI has already started posting technical job listings to support its ad plans. Roles like “Growth Paid Marketing Platform Engineer” suggest the company is building the backbone for an in-house ad platform. Responsibilities listed include developing campaign management tools, integrating with major ad networks, and building real-time attribution systems.
Still, OpenAI executives say ads won’t just be pushed out without careful thought. Nick Turley, who heads ChatGPT, told The Verge that while ads are being considered, the company would need to be “very thoughtful and tasteful” about how they are introduced to avoid disrupting the user experience.
Reports about ads in ChatGPT first surfaced in late 2024, but the hiring spree makes it clear that the idea is moving forward. With Fidji Simo leading the charge — a veteran with deep experience in scaling ads at Facebook — OpenAI appears serious about turning ChatGPT into not just a breakthrough AI product, but also a money-making powerhouse.
For millions of users who rely on ChatGPT daily, the big question is no longer whether ads are coming — but how soon they’ll show up on their screens.
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