ChatGPT to Begin Testing Ads, Report Says
▼ Summary
– OpenAI is beginning to test clearly labeled ads in ChatGPT, which will appear in a separate area beneath the chat interface.
– The company expects advertising to account for less than half of its long-term revenue, according to a source.
– These ads will be shown to free users and cheaper-tier subscribers, with conversations remaining private from advertisers.
– OpenAI’s CEO announced an updated chat model is launching this week, following a recent upgrade to its Codex AI coding agent.
– ChatGPT’s user growth has reportedly returned to exceeding 10% monthly, after the company reported 800 million weekly users last October.
The landscape of conversational AI is poised for a significant shift as OpenAI begins testing advertisements within its popular ChatGPT platform. This move, confirmed by a report, introduces clearly labeled ads that will appear in a designated section below the user’s chat window. The initiative marks a strategic step by the company to diversify its revenue streams beyond subscription fees.
According to sources familiar with the matter, OpenAI anticipates that advertising will constitute less than half of its long-term revenue. This development follows recent industry commentary, including a Super Bowl commercial from rival Anthropic that humorously suggested “ads are coming to AI,” though Anthropic clarified its own Claude chatbot would remain ad-free. The aired version of that ad was reportedly toned down after OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, criticized the initial campaign.
The ad tests will target users who access ChatGPT for free, as well as those subscribed to the more affordable ChatGPT Go tier. OpenAI has emphasized a commitment to user privacy, stating that conversations with ChatGPT will remain private from advertisers. However, the company notes that the ads themselves will be optimized for relevance based on user interactions to ensure they are helpful. It has been explicitly stated that advertisers will have no influence over the AI’s responses or answers.
In related internal communications, Altman informed employees of plans to launch an updated chat model imminently. This follows closely on the heels of an upgraded release for Codex, the company’s AI coding agent. Altman also reportedly shared that ChatGPT has returned to a monthly growth rate exceeding 10%, building on the substantial user base of 800 million weekly users the company reported last autumn.
(Source: The Verge)
