OpenAI announces that it will be testing ads in its free version for logged-in, adult US users.
It’s also rolling out an $8-per-month “Go” subscription tier that includes some upgraded capabilities, such as longer memory and more image creation opportunities, a lower price than its “Plus” ($20/month) and Pro ($200/month) subscriptions. “Go” subscribers will also get ads, while Plus, Pro and OpenAI’s business customers won’t.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously expressed reservations about introducing ads to ChatGPT.
But the move comes as OpenAI is urgently trying to figure out how to bring in more revenue from its 800 million monthly users to help it afford the $1.4 trillion it has committed to spending on AI infrastructure over the next eight years.
Altman said in November that the company expected to end 2025 with around $20 billion in annual revenue.
Last year, the company launched a tool called “Instant Checkout” that lets users buy items from retailers such as Walmart and Etsy directly through ChatGPT.
OpenAI also introduced health and learning tools, among others, as it looks to make ChatGPT a more essential part of users’ everyday lives and potentially give them a reason to upgrade to a paid subscription.
Advertising could prove a lucrative strategy for OpenAI, as using the information from people’s conversations with ChatGPT could make for highly targeted ads. For example, if a user asked ChatGPT for help planning a trip, it could serve up ads for a hotel or entertainment in the area.
As part of the test, ads will show up at the bottom of ChatGPT’s answer to a user’s query and will be labeled as “sponsored.” OpenAI said ads won’t dictate the answers ChatGPT provides, adding that users “need to trust that ChatGPT’s responses are driven by what’s objectively useful.”
The company also said it will not sell user data or conversations to advertisers and that users can turn off ad personalization based on their chats. OpenAI doesn’t plan to advertise in conversations about “regulated topics” including health, mental health or politics.
“Given what AI can do, we’re excited to develop new experiences over time that people find more helpful and relevant than any other ads,” OpenAI said in a blog post. “Soon you might see an ad and be able to directly ask the questions you need to make a purchase decision.”