OpenAI is gradually integrating advertisements into the free version of ChatGPT, exploring new monetization avenues. A recent user experiment, involving 500 questions posed to the mobile app, indicates that these ads are appearing with notable frequency and exhibit highly targeted relevance to user queries.
The test revealed that, within a new conversation thread, approximately one in five chatbot outputs was accompanied by an ad at the bottom. These ads consistently featured a website link button and were precisely tailored to the general topic of the question. For instance, inquiries about the gig economy prompted Uber ads, discussions on the worst TV shows led to promotions for Page Six's Hollywood newsletter, and questions comparing Harvard and Stanford triggered ads for the University of Minnesota's part-time MBA program. This suggests a sophisticated ad targeting mechanism.
An OpenAI spokesperson affirmed that the company is "intentionally rolling ads out slowly," starting with a limited number of advertisers and formats, to iterate based on learned experiences. This cautious approach is attributed to ChatGPT being a "trusted and personal environment" for many users. OpenAI also clarified that this decision is a component of a long-term strategy to keep ChatGPT broadly accessible, rather than being linked to any rumored IPO later this year.
The range of ads observed in the test was extensive, covering products and services such as dog food, printers, hotel reservations, productivity software, movie tickets, food delivery apps, streaming services, corporate credit cards, and AI coding tools. Travel-related queries appeared to be the most frequent triggers, with a question about planning a trip to Palm Springs, for example, resulting in a Booking.com ad that directly linked to hotel deals in the area upon clicking.
Notably, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had previously expressed strong reservations about ads in chatbots. During a 2024 discussion at Harvard Business School, Altman stated, "I hate ads," and found the combination of "ads plus AI is sort of uniquely unsettling," raising concerns about potential influence on chatbot responses. He had viewed ads as a "last resort" for a business model, suggesting he would only pursue them if it were the sole means to provide universal access to great services. This strategic shift in ChatGPT's free offering highlights the evolving landscape of AI monetization and the balancing act between user experience and commercial viability.