Mumbai: OpenAI is preparing to introduce advertising around ChatGPT responses for users in the US, marking a notable shift for the AI company as it looks to diversify revenues beyond subscriptions and enterprise services.
The advertisements, expected to roll out in the coming weeks, will appear above or below answers rather than within them, according to the company. Mock-ups shared by OpenAI show the ads placed inside a lightly tinted box, clearly separated from the chatbot’s responses. The company said ads will be shown only to adult users and only when there is a relevant sponsored product or service aligned with the ongoing conversation.
OpenAI stressed that advertising will not appear alongside responses related to sensitive categories such as health, mental health, or politics, and users under the age of 18 will not be served ads. Users will also be able to click through to understand why a particular ad was shown to them.
The move comes amid growing speculation that the San Francisco–based AI company would eventually adopt an advertising-led model to complement its existing business lines. While OpenAI’s subscription and enterprise offerings remain strong, the company has committed to investing more than $1 trillion in AI infrastructure over the coming years, significantly increasing the need for predictable cash flows.
Notably, the decision represents a careful evolution rather than a philosophical reversal. Sam Altman, OpenAI’s chief executive, has previously voiced reservations about ads in ChatGPT, calling them something he “kind of hate[s]… as an aesthetic choice.” However, he has also acknowledged that advertising could work if implemented outside the core model output and handled with extreme care to preserve user trust.
Altman has emphasised that any ad format would need to be clearly useful, transparent, and demonstrably independent of the model’s answers. “People have a very high degree of trust in ChatGPT,” he has said, underscoring why OpenAI has chosen a placement that does not interfere with responses themselves.
In a blog post announcing the test, OpenAI positioned advertising as part of a broader, diversified revenue strategy. The company said its goal is to balance accessibility with sustainability, allowing more people to use AI tools while continuing to fund large-scale infrastructure and research.
Alongside the ad rollout, OpenAI also announced the launch of ChatGPT Go, a lower-cost subscription tier priced at $8 per month, aimed at expanding adoption among price-sensitive users.
The advertising pilot will initially be limited to the US, with OpenAI indicating it will closely track user feedback before deciding whether to expand or refine the format further.
