ChatGPT to Introduce Advertisements as OpenAI Tests New Revenue Model-
OpenAI said Friday that it will begin testing advertisements inside the ChatGPT app for some users in the United States, signaling a notable shift for a company whose leadership has long expressed skepticism about bringing ads into its flagship product.
The ads will appear in the coming weeks for logged-in users of the free version of ChatGPT, as well as subscribers to the newly expanded ChatGPT Go plan, which costs $8 per month. Users on higher-priced tiers—including Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise—will remain ad-free, according to the company.
The move represents a reversal of tone from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who as recently as 2024 described advertising in ChatGPT as a “last resort” and warned that ads could undermine user trust. While Altman did not completely rule out the idea at the time, Friday’s announcement makes clear that OpenAI now sees advertising as a viable part of its long-term business model.
“Our enterprise and subscription businesses are already strong,” Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of applications, wrote in a blog post announcing the change. “We believe in having a diverse revenue model where ads can play a part in making intelligence more accessible to everyone.”
How the ads will work
According to OpenAI, the advertisements will appear “at the bottom of answers in ChatGPT when there’s a relevant sponsored product or service.” The company says ads will be clearly labeled and visually separated from the main response to avoid confusion between paid content and AI-generated answers.
In example screenshots shared by OpenAI, the ads appear as boxed sections within the chat interface, featuring a small image and promotional text. For instance, a user asking ChatGPT for travel recommendations in Mexico might see a sponsored holiday or travel-related advertisement beneath the AI’s response.
OpenAI emphasized that the ads are intended to be contextually relevant rather than intrusive, though the company has not yet detailed how targeting will work or what user data, if any, will be used to personalize advertising.
ChatGPT Go goes global
The advertising test coincides with the global rollout of ChatGPT Go, a lower-cost subscription tier priced at $8 per month. OpenAI first launched the plan in India in August 2025, positioning it as a more affordable option for users who want enhanced features beyond the free tier but do not need the full Plus or Pro experience.
As of Friday, ChatGPT Go is now available in more than 170 countries worldwide. Like free users, Go subscribers will see ads during the test period, while paying customers on higher tiers will not.
This tiered approach mirrors strategies used by major consumer internet platforms, where ads subsidize free or low-cost access while premium subscribers pay for an uninterrupted experience.
Building toward advertising
While this is the first explicit introduction of ads inside ChatGPT’s conversational interface, the shift has been building for months. In April 2025, OpenAI introduced shopping features to ChatGPT Search, allowing users to browse products and receive recommendations directly within the app.
At the time, Adam Fry, an OpenAI executive, told Wired that the product recommendations were “not ads” and “not sponsored.” Still, the feature prompted speculation that OpenAI was laying the groundwork for future commercial integrations—a perception that Friday’s announcement now reinforces.
By formally labeling sponsored content as ads and separating it from AI-generated responses, OpenAI appears to be attempting a more transparent approach than the native or blended advertising models used elsewhere on the web.
Balancing growth and trust
The decision highlights the growing pressure on OpenAI to diversify its revenue streams as ChatGPT’s user base continues to expand and infrastructure costs rise. Subscription plans and enterprise contracts have become a core part of the company’s business, but advertising offers access to a far larger pool of users who may never convert to higher-priced tiers.
Still, the introduction of ads carries risks. ChatGPT has built much of its appeal on a perception of neutrality and user-first design. Even clearly labeled ads could test that trust, particularly if users feel commercial incentives are influencing answers.
OpenAI has not said how long the ad test will run or whether it plans to expand the program beyond the US. The company also did not specify when—or if—ads might appear in other products or regions.
For now, OpenAI is positioning advertising as a limited experiment rather than a wholesale transformation of ChatGPT. Whether users accept ads as the price of more accessible AI—or push back against the change—may determine how central advertising becomes to the platform’s future.
