Photo source: AdAge
OpenAI will roll out advertising in the coming weeks to logged-in users on ChatGPT’s free tier, as well as those on the newly introduced lower-priced “Go” plan, which costs $8 per month. The Go subscription, initially launched in India, is now expanding to the US market. Higher-priced paid tiers, including existing premium plans, will remain ad-free, maintaining a clear distinction between free, entry-level access and subscription-led experiences.
OpenAI’s move toward advertising is part of a wider effort to broaden its revenue model as the company prepares for a potential public listing, while also grappling with the escalating costs of developing and operating large-scale AI systems. The decision highlights the financial pressure behind sustaining AI infrastructure at global scale.
The shift toward advertising marks a notable change in direction for OpenAI, which has so far leaned heavily on subscription-based revenue. CEO Sam Altman has previously voiced scepticism about advertising, describing it as a “last resort” and warning that commercial messaging could undermine user trust if people felt the chatbot was actively trying to sell them products.
In its initial phase, OpenAI will test sponsored product and service placements within ChatGPT responses, positioning ads at the bottom of relevant answers and visually separating them from the main conversation. The company argues that, when clearly labelled and contextually relevant, advertising could enhance the shopping experience by helping users make more informed purchase decisions, rather than disrupting the core utility of the chatbot.
By introducing advertising, OpenAI is drawing on a familiar playbook used by major internet platforms such as Meta Platforms Inc. and Google, which have long relied on targeted ads to subsidise free or low-cost digital products at scale. With ChatGPT now reaching more than 800 million weekly users, the platform offers the kind of audience reach that has historically underpinned advertising-driven business models.
In a blog post, Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications, stressed that advertising will not shape or influence the answers generated by ChatGPT. The company also said it will not share user conversations with advertisers and will exclude ads from sensitive categories for users identified as being under 18.
