OpenAI will begin testing ads in ChatGPT in the US

OpenAI has announced that it will begin testing ads within ChatGPT in the U.S. Ads will appear at the bottom of responses, clearly labeled as sponsored, and only show when the promoted product or service is relevant to the conversation. This new feature provides advertisers with a unique opportunity to engage an audience actively seeking information and making decisions, directly within relevant conversations.

Who will see ads

The ads in ChatGPT will be available to users who have free access to ChatGPT or subscribe to the ChatGPT Go plan, which costs $8 per month. These users will see sponsored products or services that are displayed in the context of their queries.

Who won’t see ads

Users on ChatGPT Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans will not see ads. Additionally, users under the age of 18 will not be shown ads.

Why this matters

The introduction of ads in ChatGPT creates a new opportunity for advertisers to target high-intent users actively seeking information and making decisions. Unlike ads on search engines or social media platforms, ads will appear in responses to specific queries, providing highly relevant and engaging exposure. This offers a valuable opportunity for brands focused on decision-making, education, or consideration-stage marketing to reach users effectively.

The goal of the new feature

The primary goal of introducing ads is to make powerful AI more accessible to a broader audience. Ads will help subsidize the costs of ChatGPT for free users, reducing their usage limits and ensuring the service remains affordable. Additionally, the ChatGPT Go plan, which was launched in 171 countries last year, is now available in the U.S. This plan offers expanded features such as image generation, file uploads, and memory, all at a lower price.

What won’t change

OpenAI assures that ads will not influence ChatGPT’s responses and will not compromise user privacy. User conversations will never be sold to advertisers. Moreover, ads will not be shown alongside sensitive or regulated topics like politics, health, or mental health.

OpenAI’s advertising principles

OpenAI’s approach to advertising is guided by its mission, response independence, conversation privacy, and user control. Users will be able to see why they are being shown a particular ad, dismiss it, disable personalization, or clear ad-related data at any time. This approach ensures a balance between monetization and delivering a positive user experience.

Big picture

With over $1.4 trillion in infrastructure commitments and a reported $20 billion annualized revenue run rate, OpenAI is under pressure to find scalable revenue streams to support its growth. Advertising, a significant revenue driver for companies like Google and Meta, could help offset costs while keeping AI accessible to more users.

What’s next

Ads are not live yet, but testing will begin soon. OpenAI plans to refine how ads appear based on user feedback as it experiments with monetizing its flagship product.

Takeaways for marketers

The introduction of ads in ChatGPT opens up new opportunities for advertisers targeting an audience that is actively seeking information and ready to make decisions based on what is presented. A platform offering contextual ads without influencing responses or compromising user privacy could become a new channel for high-intent campaigns, education, and product consideration. Marketers should pay attention to the new advertising principles that offer flexible control over personalization, which will be a crucial tool in future marketing efforts.

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