The company confirmed ads will be seen for free and ChatGPT Go tier subscribers.
OpenAI has confirmed it will be introducing ads to ChatGPT in a landmark move.
The move coincides with OpenAI expanding its low-cost subscription tier, Go, to the US and all other markets ChatGPT is available in. The Go subscription tier offers expanded access to messaging, image creation, file uploads and memory for up to $8 per month.
The Microsoft-backed company said it will begin testing ads in the US for free and Go tier users in the coming weeks.
It has set out the principles which will govern how ads will be introduced on the platform and stressed that it is not live yet.
OpenAI said in a statement: “People trust ChatGPT for many important and personal tasks, so as we introduce ads, it’s crucial we preserve what makes ChatGPT valuable in the first place.
“That means you need to trust that ChatGPT’s responses are driven by what’s objectively useful, never by advertising. You need to know that your data and conversations are protected and never sold to advertisers.
“And we need to keep a high bar and give you control over your experience so you see truly relevant, high-quality ads – and can turn off personalisation if you want.”
OpenAI added that ads will be tested at the bottom of answers in ChatGPT, when there is a “relevant sponsored product or service” based on the current conversation.
Ads will be clearly labelled and separated from the organic answer.
The company emphasised that it will not show ads to users under 18, nor will it appear near sensitive or regulated topics like health, mental health or politics.
“We’ll learn from feedback and refine how ads show up over time, but our commitment to putting users first and maintaining trust won’t change. By starting our ad platform from the ground up with these principles in place, we can align our incentives with what people want from ChatGPT,” OpenAI said.
