OpenAI Initiates Ad Testing in ChatGPT for Free Users in the U.S.
OpenAI, on January 16, 2026, announced its plans to commence testing advertisements within ChatGPT in the upcoming weeks. This move marks a significant shift in the company’s monetization strategy. The ads are set to appear at the bottom of ChatGPT’s responses and will be distinctly labeled as sponsored content.
The advertising rollout is primarily aimed at adult users in the United States who are utilizing ChatGPT’s free tier and the newly launched $8-per-month Go subscription. The premium tiers, including ChatGPT Plus ($20/month), Pro ($200/month), Business, and Enterprise, will continue to remain ad-free.
OpenAI, with over 800 million monthly users and only about 5% of them paying for subscriptions, is exploring a lucrative new revenue stream to support its ambitious infrastructure spending of $1.4 trillion committed over the next eight years.
OpenAI has emphasized that ads will not influence ChatGPT’s responses and that user conversations will remain private from advertisers. The company has also made it clear that it will not show ads to users under 18, and advertisements will not appear near sensitive topics including health, mental health, or politics.
CEO Sam Altman stated that while he has historically expressed reservations about ads, the company believes “a lot of people want to use a lot of AI and don’t want to pay.”
Source: CNBC