OpenAI has officially begun testing advertisements inside ChatGPT, marking a major shift in how the popular AI chatbot is funded and used. The move comes just days after AI companies grabbed attention during the Super Bowl, where rival messaging around ads and AI ethics quietly set the tone for a larger debate in the industry.
In a blog post released on Monday, February 9, OpenAI confirmed that ads will start appearing for users on the free tier and the ChatGPT Go plan. Paid subscribers on ChatGPT Plus and Pro will not see any advertisements.
The company said the rollout is part of a limited test designed to balance affordability with sustainability, as ChatGPT continues to scale to millions of users globally.
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Ads arrive as AI takes center stage at Super Bowl
This year’s Super Bowl wasn’t just about football. AI companies also found themselves in the spotlight. An advertisement by Anthropic, uploaded on YouTube ahead of the event, showed an AI assistant slipping into a promotional recommendation mid-conversation — a move widely seen as a subtle dig at competitors.
OpenAI has long distanced itself from that approach. CEO Sam Altman has repeatedly said ChatGPT would not interrupt answers with ads disguised as suggestions. With this new test, the company says it is sticking to that promise.
OpenAI: Ads won’t change answers or compromise privacy
Addressing immediate concerns, OpenAI said advertisements will not influence how ChatGPT responds to users. In its statement, the company said conversations remain private and are not shared with advertisers.
Ads will be shown based on general conversation topics and past interactions, but advertisers will not be able to access individual chat data. From a design standpoint, OpenAI said ads will be clearly labeled as sponsored content and visually separated from AI-generated responses.
The company has also added safeguards to block ads from appearing alongside sensitive or regulated topics, including health, mental health, and politics.
Users get more control over ad experience
OpenAI says users will be able to understand why a particular ad is being shown, turn off personalised advertising, or delete ad-related data entirely. The goal, according to the company, is to make the experience transparent while giving users meaningful control.
This approach mirrors broader digital advertising trends, where platforms are under pressure to offer clearer disclosures and stronger privacy protections.
Making AI affordable, with ads
Altman has previously argued that ads could help make AI tools accessible to billions of people who cannot afford monthly subscriptions. OpenAI echoed that reasoning, positioning advertising as a way to keep advanced AI widely available without locking it behind paywalls.
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The company also hinted that this is just the beginning. While the current test focuses on simple ad formats, OpenAI said it may support additional formats in the future, potentially allowing businesses new ways to reach users — as long as the experience remains respectful and clearly labeled.
For now, OpenAI says it is listening closely to feedback as it tests how ads fit into everyday conversations with ChatGPT.
