OpenAI introduces ads to ChatGPT to boost revenue

OpenAI to test ads in ChatGPT as it aims to diversify revenue, support AI infrastructure costs, and expand access to features like messaging, image generation, and file uploads, while maintaining user privacy and trust.

Nathaniel Alexander Abaño January 17, 2026

OpenAI will begin testing advertisements in its ChatGPT app in the coming weeks for free users and the $8-per-month ChatGPT Go subscription in the United States, the company announced Friday.

Diversifying revenue

Higher-tier subscriptions, including Pro, Business, and Enterprise, will remain ad-free.

The move comes as OpenAI seeks to diversify revenue to support the massive costs of operating its AI services, which include projected spending of $1.4 trillion on data centers and computing infrastructure.

Since its 2022 launch, ChatGPT has grown to nearly one billion users worldwide, but only a small percentage pay for subscriptions, creating pressure to fund ongoing operations.

OpenAI has pledged that ads will never influence the chatbot’s answers and that user conversations will remain private, with no data sold to advertisers. Ads will also be restricted from appearing near sensitive topics such as health, mental health, or politics, and users under 18 will not see them.

The first ad formats are expected to appear at the bottom of relevant responses, clearly labeled and separate from ChatGPT’s content.

OpenAI says ads could help users discover products and services interactively, leveraging the conversational interface to go beyond static recommendations.

Global testing

Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of applications, emphasized that responses will continue to be driven by what’s objectively useful, never by advertising.

The rollout coincides with the US launch of ChatGPT Go, which expands access to messaging, image generation, file uploads, and memory features for $8 per month. OpenAI says its approach aims to make AI tools more broadly accessible while creating a sustainable revenue model.

Ads are designed to support small businesses and emerging brands, enabling more users to benefit from ChatGPT with fewer usage limits or without paying.

OpenAI will refine the ad experience based on user feedback in the US before potentially expanding to other markets, balancing revenue generation with accessibility.