OpenAI is shaking up its business model by introducing ads to ChatGPT’s free and low-cost tiers this month – a first for the AI giant since its 2022 launch. The move comes as the company races to fund its ambitious $1 trillion AI infrastructure plan ahead of a potential IPO.
Ad Rollout Details
Starting this week, U.S. users on free and $8/month ChatGPT Go plans might see non-intrusive sponsored links below responses. Premium subscribers (Plus/Pro/Business) get ad-free access. OpenAI confirms ads won’t influence chatbot answers or share conversation data with marketers.
Why Now? 💸
With 800 million weekly users but mounting server costs, analysts say ads could unlock major revenue. 'This pressures rivals like Google’s Gemini to define their monetization strategies,' notes Emarketer’s Jeremy Goldman. But there’s risk: 'Clunky ads might drive users to ad-free alternatives like Claude.'
User Protections 🛡️
No ads will target under-18 users or appear in health/politics conversations. The ChatGPT Go plan, now expanding globally, offers budget-friendly access with lighter ad loads compared to free tier.
As AI becomes advertising’s new frontier, all eyes are on whether users will swipe left 👈 on ads… or the platform itself.
