OpenAI, on January 16, 2026, delineated it plans to begin testing of advertisements in ChatGPT for logged-in adult users on its Free and Go tiers in the United States, while stating that ads are not currently live.
In updates published by OpenAI on its blog and help page, the company said advertising in ChatGPT has not launched externally and that testing is expected to begin in the coming weeks for eligible U.S. users. OpenAI said Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu accounts will not have ads.
According to the company, ads shown during testing will be clearly labeled and displayed separately from ChatGPT’s responses. “Ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you,” OpenAI claimed, adding that responses are optimized based on what is most helpful to users.
OpenAI said it does not share conversations with ChatGPT with advertisers and does not sell user data to advertisers. Users will be able to control whether ads are personalized, clear data used for advertising, and use paid tiers that are ad-free.
The company said advertising is being explored in line with its stated mission to expand access to AI tools while prioritizing user trust and user experience. "We’ll learn from feedback and refine how ads show up over time", wrote Fidji Simo CEO, Applications at OpenAI.
The AI-giant also shared some examples of ads:
"Ads also can be transformative for small businesses and emerging brands trying to compete." explained OpenAI in its announcement post. Adding further, "AI tools level the playing field even further, allowing anyone to create high-quality experiences that help people discover options they might never have found otherwise."
The addition of ads suggests OpenAI is exploring revenue models similar to major platforms, though the company hasn’t stated an intention to mirror Google or Meta. Along with ads, OpenAI has introduced a dedicated “Translate with ChatGPT” feature, which may indicate ambitions to strengthen its utility in areas where tools like Google Translate are widely used.
Notes: This post was drafted with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed/fact-checked, and published by humans.
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In updates published by OpenAI on its blog and help page, the company said advertising in ChatGPT has not launched externally and that testing is expected to begin in the coming weeks for eligible U.S. users. OpenAI said Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu accounts will not have ads.
According to the company, ads shown during testing will be clearly labeled and displayed separately from ChatGPT’s responses. “Ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you,” OpenAI claimed, adding that responses are optimized based on what is most helpful to users.
OpenAI said it does not share conversations with ChatGPT with advertisers and does not sell user data to advertisers. Users will be able to control whether ads are personalized, clear data used for advertising, and use paid tiers that are ad-free.
The company said advertising is being explored in line with its stated mission to expand access to AI tools while prioritizing user trust and user experience. "We’ll learn from feedback and refine how ads show up over time", wrote Fidji Simo CEO, Applications at OpenAI.
The AI-giant also shared some examples of ads:
"Ads also can be transformative for small businesses and emerging brands trying to compete." explained OpenAI in its announcement post. Adding further, "AI tools level the playing field even further, allowing anyone to create high-quality experiences that help people discover options they might never have found otherwise."
The addition of ads suggests OpenAI is exploring revenue models similar to major platforms, though the company hasn’t stated an intention to mirror Google or Meta. Along with ads, OpenAI has introduced a dedicated “Translate with ChatGPT” feature, which may indicate ambitions to strengthen its utility in areas where tools like Google Translate are widely used.
Notes: This post was drafted with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed/fact-checked, and published by humans.
Read next:
• Remote Work Is Evolving: Researchers Reveal Key Benefits, Challenges and the Future Workplace
