OpenAI said it will begin testing advertisements on ChatGPT in the United States in the coming weeks, as part of a broader effort to expand access to its AI tools while keeping paid subscriptions ad-free.
“We’re not launching ads yet, but we do plan to start testing in the coming weeks,” the company said in a blog post.
The ads will appear for logged-in adult users on the free tier and the ChatGPT Go subscription, which costs $8 per month. OpenAI said Pro, Business and Enterprise subscriptions will not include ads. The company recently expanded ChatGPT Go to the US after launching it in 171 countries since August.
The ads will be shown at the bottom of ChatGPT responses when there is a relevant sponsored product or service linked to the user’s current conversation. OpenAI said ads will be clearly labelled and separated from organic answers, and users will be able to dismiss ads or see why a particular ad is shown.
“Ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you,” OpenAI said, adding that responses are optimised based on what is most useful to users, not advertising considerations.
OpenAI said it will not show ads to users under 18 and that ads will not appear near sensitive or regulated topics such as health, mental health or politics. The company also said conversations will remain private and will not be sold to advertisers.
“People trust ChatGPT for many important and personal tasks,” the company said. “It’s crucial we preserve what makes ChatGPT valuable in the first place.”
According to OpenAI, users will have control over ad personalisation and can turn it off or clear the data used for ads at any time. The company said it will always offer a way to use ChatGPT without ads, including through paid plans.
OpenAI said the move is aligned with its goal of making advanced AI tools accessible to more people. “Our mission is to ensure AGI benefits all of humanity,” the company said, adding that advertising is intended to support broader access with fewer usage limits.
The company said it does not plan to optimise for time spent on ChatGPT and will prioritise user trust and experience over revenue. OpenAI added that it expects ads to evolve over time, including formats that allow users to ask questions directly within sponsored listings to help with purchase decisions.
OpenAI said it will refine the ad experience based on user feedback but that its focus will remain on subscriptions and enterprise products as core parts of its business, with advertising playing a supporting role in expanding access.
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