OpenAI says it will begin testing ads on ChatGPT in the coming weeks

OpenAI announced Friday that it will begin testing ads on ChatGPT in the coming weeks, opening the door to another potential revenue stream for the AI ​​company in addition to its subscription models.

Ads will appear at the bottom of the chat window “when there is a sponsored product or service relevant to your current conversation,” OpenAI said in a blog post.

In one example shared by the AI ​​company, a user asks for authentic Mexican food recommendations. ChatGPT responds with ideas for carne asada and pollo al carbon dishes, then links to a grocery store brand advertising a hot sauce.

Only adults who use the free version of ChatGPT, or ChatGPT Go, a new low-cost subscription plan announced Friday by OpenAI, will see ads. Higher-tier subscriptions, including Pro, which now cost $200 per month, will not include ads, OpenAI said.

When asked how long the ad testing phase would last and whether there were plans to expand the use of ads, an OpenAI spokesperson told CBS News: “We will review early user feedback and quality signals to see if early testing meets our expectations before expanding.”

The AI ​​company said the ads would not influence the responses ChatGPT provides and that it would not share the conversations users have with the chatbot – or their data – with advertisers.

The OpenAI spokesperson did not disclose which companies it plans to advertise on ChatGPT, but said the company “will have more to share about our early partners soon.”

OpenAI designed the introduction of ads as a way to keep free and low-cost versions of the chatbot accessible to more users.

“Our enterprise and subscription businesses are already strong, and we believe in having a diverse revenue model where ads can play a role in making intelligence more accessible to everyone,” OpenAI said in its blog.

The AI ​​company, which launched ChatGPT in 2022, is valued at $500 billion but has yet to turn a profit, CNBC reported in November. Additional cash flow from ads could help ChatGPT invest in growth and fund ongoing expenses, Melissa Otto, head of research at S&P Global Visible Alpha, told CBS News.

However, it remains to be seen what role ads will play in OpenAI’s overall business strategy. During a podcast interview last year,
CEO Sam Altman downplayed the importance that ads would play in OpenAI’s revenue stream. “I think it’s something we’ll try at some point,” he said. “I don’t think it’s our biggest revenue opportunity.”

Edited by Lucia I Suarez Sang