OpenAI tests ads in ChatGPT in the United States | Keryc
Today OpenAI begins testing ads in ChatGPT for registered adult users in the United States. The test applies to the Free and Go tiers; paid subscriptions like Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education will not see ads. OpenAI says ads won’t influence responses and that they will keep your conversations private from advertisers.
What OpenAI is testing
The test is limited to signed-in users over 18 in the U.S., and aims to learn how to integrate ads without breaking the conversational experience.
Ads visible in Free and Go, clearly labeled as sponsored and visually separated from the organic response.
Paid tiers like Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education will not show ads.
There’s an option to avoid ads on Free in exchange for fewer free daily messages, or you can upgrade to Plus or Pro.
Worried this will change what ChatGPT answers? No: OpenAI says responses remain optimized to be useful and that ads do not influence the content you receive.
How they choose which ad to show
OpenAI uses a match between the topic of your conversation, your past chats, and your previous interactions with ads to decide which ad to show. For example, if you’re looking up recipes, you might see ads for meal kits or grocery delivery.
If multiple advertisers are relevant, the most relevant one for your chat is shown first.
Advertisers do not get access to your conversations or personal data; they only receive aggregated metrics like impressions or clicks.
Privacy and safety limits
OpenAI sets several restrictions from the start of the test:
Ads will not be shown to accounts where the user is under 18 or when that condition is predicted.
Ads won’t appear near sensitive or regulated topics, like health, mental health, or politics.
There will be controls to reduce risks of scams and misleading ads and a careful selection of who can advertise.
Conversations remain private and responses remain independent, according to OpenAI.
What control you have
You can manage your ad experience in ChatGPT: dismiss ads, send feedback, see why an ad was shown to you, delete your ad data with one tap, and configure personalization.
Don’t want ads? You can opt out on Free with fewer daily messages or upgrade to a paid subscription.
Why they’re doing it and what it means
OpenAI explains that keeping free and low-cost tiers fast and reliable costs money: infrastructure, continuous improvements, and support for hundreds of millions of users. Ads would help fund that broader access and keep improving the service.
At the same time, the approach is to learn: this is a test to collect real data, listen to users, and adjust how ads fit into a conversational interface.
What could change in the future
If the test works, OpenAI plans to expand the program with more formats, business objectives and buying models, and new ways for small and large companies to connect with users. But they repeat that the priority will be designing with privacy and safety, avoiding overly narrow targeting and minimizing risks.
If you use ChatGPT to research, compare options, or make decisions, ads could help you discover relevant products. If they bother you, you have options to reduce or remove that exposure.
In the end, this will be a matter of experience: if ads help keep access wide without degrading trust or the usefulness of responses, many will find it acceptable; if not, feedback from the test period will be key to adjust or reverse decisions.
