Sunday, 18 January 2026

As reported by CNBS news

OpenAI has announced that in the coming weeks it will begin testing ads in ChatGPT. The information appeared in media reports that relayed the news to us.

The initial test will be conducted among adult free users in the United States. They explained that ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Enterprise subscriptions will not include advertising. On Friday the company also expanded the availability of the OpenAI Go service in the United States, and said that users on this plan will also see ads.

Obviously, many people want to actively use artificial intelligence but do not want to pay for it, so we hope this business model will be effective.

– Sam Altman

Context of the rollout and OpenAI’s goals

Introducing ads in ChatGPT could help OpenAI meet its financial goals: digital advertising has long been a revenue stream for other tech giants, such as the big players in the market.

Advertisements will appear at the bottom of the chatbot’s responses and will be clearly labeled. It is known that ChatGPT’s answers are not influenced by advertising, and OpenAI has stated that it will not sell users’ data to advertisers.

Users under 18 will not see ads, and advertisements will not be placed next to topics involving politics, health, or mental health.

Sam Altman has previously expressed concerns about advertising in ChatGPT, warning that it could undermine trust in OpenAI’s products. In a November podcast he stated that “at some point” OpenAI would test adding advertising, but does not consider this the most advantageous option for the company.

“at some point” OpenAI would test adding advertising, though he added that he does not believe it would be the most advantageous option for the company.

– Sam Altman

“We will learn from feedback and refine how advertising is displayed over time, but our commitment to putting users first and maintaining trust will not change,” OpenAI said.

OpenAI also noted that during testing, users will be able to learn more about why a particular ad is shown, have the option to reject ads, and leave feedback about their experience.

It is also known that the ChatGPT Translate service supports more than 50 languages and is regarded as a competitor to Google Translate.

This move demonstrates OpenAI’s interest in new monetization models that could support the service’s development and innovation without harming the user experience.

We recommend paying attention to:

• OpenAI begins testing ads in ChatGPT’s free version for US adults, introducing a new $8/month Go subscription with ads, while ensuring user privacy and ethical ad practices.
• Vanessa Larco predicts 2026 as the breakthrough year for consumer AI, highlighting new concierge-style services, monetization models, and startup opportunities in AI-driven online experiences.