OpenAI to Introduce Advertisements in ChatGPT to Boost Revenue
- tech360.tv
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
OpenAI will begin testing advertisements with select US ChatGPT users, aiming to boost revenue and finance the high development costs of its artificial intelligence technology.
These ads will be tested with users on the free tier and the globally expanding Go plan, appearing in the coming weeks. They will remain separate from answers generated by ChatGPT.
More expensive tiers, including Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise, will remain ad-free. OpenAI stated advertising would not affect ChatGPT's outputs, nor would user conversations be shared with marketers.
This represents a significant shift for the organisation, which has historically relied on subscriptions. The initiative highlights OpenAI's pressure to increase revenue amid substantial spending on data centres and preparations for an initial public offering.
The startup, which is currently losing money, projects spending over USD 1 trillion on artificial intelligence infrastructure by 2030. Details on how this will be funded have not been provided.
Analysts suggest ads could unlock a significant revenue stream from ChatGPT’s 800 million weekly active users. However, this move might upset some customers and damage trust in the product.
Jeremy Goldman, an Emarketer analyst, noted that clumsy or opportunistic ads could prompt users to switch to rival chatbots like Google's Gemini or Anthropic's Claude. Goldman added that this development could also compel competitors to clarify their own monetisation philosophies, especially those claiming to be "ad-free by design."
OpenAI stated it would not display ads to users under 18 years of age. The company also plans to block advertisements related to sensitive topics, including health, and politics.
"We plan to test ads at the bottom of answers in ChatGPT when there's a relevant sponsored product or service based on your current conversation," the startup stated.
Advertisers are optimistic about artificial intelligence enhancing performance in search and social advertising. They aim to capitalise on the technology's integration into advertising recommendation systems.
The Microsoft-backed company stated the ChatGPT Go offering, initially launched in India, will be available in the US for USD 8 per month.
OpenAI will begin testing advertisements with select US ChatGPT users on free and Go plans.
The move aims to boost revenue for OpenAI's high artificial intelligence development costs.
More expensive tiers (Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise) will remain ad-free, and user privacy is assured.
Source: REUTERS
