ChatGPT will start showing ads in the coming weeks, but OpenAI insists the promotions won’t sway the bot’s answers.
At a Glance
- Free and low-cost “Go” users in the U.S. will see labeled ads at the bottom of some replies
- Premium tiers-Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise-stay ad-free
- Ads skip sensitive zones like health, mental health, and politics
- Why it matters: Users worried about biased AI answers get clarity on what’s paid and what’s organic
OpenAI framed the move as a limited test, not a platform-wide takeover. Only logged-in adults on the free and $8-a-month Go plan will encounter the new units. The company said placements will appear “when there’s a relevant sponsored product or service based on your current conversation.”
Each ad will carry a clear label and sit apart from the core answer. “Ads are always separate and clearly labeled,” OpenAI repeated in its statement. The firm also pledged that advertisers can’t peek at chat logs and that personal data will never be sold. Users can flip off personalization or wipe ad-related data at any time.
Geo reach expands at the same time. ChatGPT Go-introduced in India last August-rolls out globally wherever ChatGPT is already live. The tier splits the difference between the free version and the full-featured Plus subscription.
The announcement landed Friday, the same day OpenAI’s board said CEO Sam Altman had stepped down after a review found him “not consistently candid in his communications.”
