OpenAI to Test Ads on ChatGPT Free and Go Tiers in the U.S.

OpenAI will begin testing advertisements on ChatGPT across its ChatGPT Free tier and ChatGPT Go plan in the United States, marking the company’s first structured move toward AI advertising as a revenue stream.

The pilot will apply only to logged-in adult users on the free tier and the lower-priced Go plan. Paid subscriptions, including Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise, will remain ad-free ChatGPT plans. OpenAI said the test will start in the coming weeks and will initially be limited to the U.S. market.

Ads will be clearly labeled and placed outside the core AI responses, typically appearing below answers when a sponsored message is relevant to the user’s query. The company said advertisements will not influence how ChatGPT generates responses, and that advertisers will not have access to user conversations.

• OpenAI to test ads on ChatGPT Free and Go tiers in the US
• Ads will appear outside responses as OpenAI pilots AI advertising model
• Paid ChatGPT plans to remain ad-free during initial US rollout

OpenAI stated that chat data privacy will be maintained and that conversation content will not be shared with advertisers or used to train advertising systems. Ad targeting will rely on limited signals such as general location and language, rather than the substance of conversations. Users will be able to manage ad personalization settings, including the option to opt out of personalised ads.

The company added that ads will not be shown to users identified as minors and will be excluded from sensitive categories such as health, mental health and political content. These safeguards, OpenAI said, are intended to prevent commercial influence in areas that require higher levels of care and neutrality.

The move reflects growing pressure on OpenAI to diversify AI monetisation as operating costs rise alongside investments in large-scale computing infrastructure and generative AI models. While subscriptions remain its primary source of income, advertising offers a way to support free access without placing all users behind a paywall.

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OpenAI has previously been cautious about ads, with leadership stating that monetisation should not undermine user trust. The test will likely be watched closely by advertisers and technology peers as it signals how AI platforms may balance revenue models with user experience going forward.