- OpenAI is set to begin testing ads in ChatGPT starting today, according to a new report by CNBC. This marks a major shift for one of the world’s most popular AI tools, which until now has largely stayed away from advertising.
- The ads will be clearly labeled and shown in a separate section below the chat, not inside the conversation itself. OpenAI had shared these plans last month, saying it wanted to introduce ads in a way that feels less intrusive for users.
- People familiar with the matter told CNBC that OpenAI expects advertising to make up less than half of its total revenue in the long run. Still, the move has already sparked debate across the tech world, especially around whether ads and AI conversations should mix at all.
- The timing is also interesting. Just last week, rival AI company Anthropic aired a Super Bowl commercial taking a clear swipe at OpenAI. The ad joked that “ads are coming to AI,” but not to its own chatbot, Claude. After OpenAI CEO Sam Altman publicly called the campaign “clearly dishonest,” Anthropic reportedly toned down the version of the ad that aired during the game.
- As for who will actually see ads, OpenAI plans to show them to logged-in users who use ChatGPT for free or who are subscribed to its lower-priced Go plan. Users on higher-tier subscriptions are not expected to see ads, at least for now.
- OpenAI has stressed that conversations with ChatGPT will remain private and will not be shared with advertisers. At the same time, the company says ads may still be optimized based on what is most helpful to users. Importantly, advertisers will not influence ChatGPT’s answers, according to OpenAI.
- The ad rollout comes during a busy period for the company. In an internal memo cited by CNBC, Altman told employees that OpenAI plans to release an updated chat model this week. This follows the recent launch of a more advanced version of its AI coding agent, Codex.
- Altman also noted that ChatGPT is once again growing fast, with usage now exceeding 10 percent growth month over month. The company last shared user numbers in October, when it said ChatGPT had around 800 million weekly users.
- With ads entering the picture, OpenAI appears to be betting that it can grow revenue without turning users away, a balance that will be closely watched in the months ahead.
OpenAI is set to begin testing ads in ChatGPT starting today, according to a new report by CNBC. This marks a major shift for one of the world’s most popular AI tools, which until now has largely stayed away from advertising.
The ads will be clearly labeled and shown in a separate section below the chat, not inside the conversation itself. OpenAI had shared these plans last month, saying it wanted to introduce ads in a way that feels less intrusive for users.
People familiar with the matter told CNBC that OpenAI expects advertising to make up less than half of its total revenue in the long run. Still, the move has already sparked debate across the tech world, especially around whether ads and AI conversations should mix at all.
The timing is also interesting. Just last week, rival AI company Anthropic aired a Super Bowl commercial taking a clear swipe at OpenAI. The ad joked that “ads are coming to AI,” but not to its own chatbot, Claude. After OpenAI CEO Sam Altman publicly called the campaign “clearly dishonest,” Anthropic reportedly toned down the version of the ad that aired during the game.
As for who will actually see ads, OpenAI plans to show them to logged-in users who use ChatGPT for free or who are subscribed to its lower-priced Go plan. Users on higher-tier subscriptions are not expected to see ads, at least for now.
OpenAI has stressed that conversations with ChatGPT will remain private and will not be shared with advertisers. At the same time, the company says ads may still be optimized based on what is most helpful to users. Importantly, advertisers will not influence ChatGPT’s answers, according to OpenAI.
The ad rollout comes during a busy period for the company. In an internal memo cited by CNBC, Altman told employees that OpenAI plans to release an updated chat model this week. This follows the recent launch of a more advanced version of its AI coding agent, Codex.
Altman also noted that ChatGPT is once again growing fast, with usage now exceeding 10 percent growth month over month. The company last shared user numbers in October, when it said ChatGPT had around 800 million weekly users.
With ads entering the picture, OpenAI appears to be betting that it can grow revenue without turning users away, a balance that will be closely watched in the months ahead.
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