CHENNAI: OpenAI has announced that it will soon begin testing advertisements within its widely used ChatGPT service for users in the US, marking a notable shift in the company’s business strategy as it seeks to broaden its revenue base beyond subscription fees. The trial, expected to roll out “in the coming weeks,” will introduce advertising to logged-in adult users on ChatGPT’s free tier as well as its recently expanded low-cost “Go” subscription plan, which costs $8 per month in the US and offers more features than the free version. Users subscribed to higher-tier plans such as Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise will continue to enjoy an ad-free experience.
According to OpenAI, the advertisements will appear clearly labelled and separate from the chatbot’s generated responses, typically at the bottom of the chat when there is a relevant sponsored product or service tied to the user’s conversation.
The company has emphasised that the ads will not influence the actual answers ChatGPT provides, and it will not share users’ private conversation data with advertisers. OpenAI also said that it will take measures to avoid showing ads alongside sensitive topics such as health, mental health or political content, and that users under the age of 18 will not be targeted with advertising.
The move reflects OpenAI’s efforts to diversify its revenue streams at a time when it is investing heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure and preparing for future growth, including a widely anticipated initial public offering. While the company has largely relied on subscription fees from its various paid tiers to generate income, the introduction of ads aims to monetise a substantial portion of ChatGPT’s user base that currently accesses the service for free or via lower-priced plans.
The planned ad experiment has drawn attention because it represents a departure from the company’s earlier stance on keeping ChatGPT free of advertisements. OpenAI has stressed that the primary goal of the trial is to support broader access to AI tools by subsidising costs for nonpaying users, while preserving user trust and the integrity of the chatbot’s responses. As the tests begin, OpenAI will likely monitor user feedback and ad performance closely, shaping how — and if — this model might expand beyond the initial U.S. pilot.