ChatGPT is about to get something it’s managed to avoid so far: ads.
OpenAI has confirmed it will start testing advertising in the coming weeks, bringing sponsored placements to ChatGPT’s free and Go tiers – while keeping Pro, Business and Enterprise accounts ad-free.
The plan is still early and limited, but it marks a clear shift. Ads will initially appear at the bottom of answers when there’s a relevant product or service tied to your conversation. They’ll be clearly labelled, visually separated from the main response, and dismissible. OpenAI says the goal is to expand access to ChatGPT without pushing more users behind a paywall.
The company is also rolling out ChatGPT Go more widely. The $8/month plan, which launched internationally earlier this year, is now available in the US and everywhere ChatGPT operates. It offers higher usage limits, image generation, file uploads and memory – but, like the free tier, it will be part of the initial ad tests.
Ads won’t influence answers, apparently
OpenAI is keen to stress that ads won’t influence answers. According to the company, ChatGPT’s responses will remain “objectively useful” and independent of advertising, with sponsored content kept separate from organic replies. Conversations won’t be shared with advertisers, and user data won’t be sold – a point OpenAI repeatedly emphasises, given how personal ChatGPT can be for many users.
There are also guardrails around who sees ads and where they appear. Ads won’t be shown to users under 18, and they won’t appear next to sensitive or regulated topics, including health, mental health and politics. Users will be able to turn off ad personalisation entirely and clear any data used for targeting.
This isn’t an immediate full rollout. OpenAI says it’s starting with a small test for logged-in adults in the US, with feedback shaping how ads evolve. Longer term, the company hints at more interactive ad formats, including sponsored results you can actually ask questions about rather than static banners.
Whether that sounds helpful or horrifying probably depends on how much time you spend in ChatGPT already. What’s clear is that OpenAI sees advertising as part of a broader push to make AI tools available to more people, without relying solely on subscriptions. Ads may be coming but for now, they’re being kept firmly at arm’s length from the answers you came for.
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