ChatGPT to test ads for US users as OpenAI broadens revenue model

ChatGPT will begin testing advertisements for users in the United States in the coming weeks, as OpenAI looks to add a new revenue stream alongside its existing subscription offerings

OpenAI said on Friday that advertisements will be introduced on a trial basis in ChatGPT for users based in the United States only. The ads will appear either above or below responses, and not inside the answers themselves, the company said.

 

According to the company, advertisements will be shown to adult users when there is a “relevant sponsored product or service” linked to the ongoing conversation. 

 

Users under the age of 18 will not see ads, and advertising will not be placed next to responses dealing with sensitive subjects such as health, mental health or politics.

 

OpenAI said users will also be able to view information explaining why a particular advertisement has been shown to them.

 

Free and Go tiers included in trial

Reacting to the announcement on X, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said advertisements will be tested on ChatGPT’s free tier as well as the newly launched ChatGPT Go plan, priced at $8 a month.

 

“We are starting to test ads in ChatGPT free and Go tiers. Most importantly, we will not accept money to influence the answer ChatGPT gives you, and we keep your conversations private from advertisers,” Altman said.

 

He added that many users want access to AI tools without paying subscription fees and said the company hopes advertising can support that demand. Drawing a comparison, Altman said he has discovered useful products through ads on Instagram and expressed hope that ads in ChatGPT could be similarly helpful. 

We are starting to test ads in ChatGPT free and Go (new $8/month option) tiers.  Here are our principles. Most importantly, we will not accept money to influence the answer ChatGPT gives you, and we keep your conversations private from advertisers.  It is clear to us that a lot… https://t.co/f9Dv53rWU7

— Sam Altman (@sama) January 16, 2026

Shift from earlier reluctance

Altman has previously expressed discomfort with the idea of advertising on ChatGPT. In remarks reported earlier by The Guardian, he said he disliked ads “as an aesthetic choice”.

 

He had also cautioned that any advertising model would need to avoid interfering with the system’s outputs. “The burden of proof would have to be very high,” he was quoted as saying, adding that users place a high level of trust in ChatGPT.

Revenue pressures and long-term plans

OpenAI has committed to spending more than $1 trillion on artificial intelligence infrastructure in the coming years. Altman has said the company’s annual revenue is running at well over $13 billion, underlining the scale of investment required to support its ambitions.

 

In a blog post published on Friday, OpenAI said it was seeking to balance those costs with accessibility. “Our enterprise and subscription businesses are already strong, and we believe in having a diverse revenue model where ads can play a part in making intelligence more accessible to everyone,” the company said.

 

It added that user feedback will shape how advertising develops once the initial tests begin.