OpenAI is preparing to test advertising inside ChatGPT in the United States, marking a significant shift in how the company plans to expand access to its AI tools while maintaining user trust. The move comes alongside the U.S. launch of ChatGPT Go, a low-cost subscription tier designed to make advanced AI capabilities available to more people.

The company says its goal is to ensure that access to powerful AI does not become limited only to those who can afford higher-priced subscriptions, while keeping ads clearly separated from AI-generated answers and protecting user privacy.

OpenAI says its long-term vision is to make AI feel like a “personal super-assistant” that helps people learn, create, and solve problems—regardless of income level.

ChatGPT Go, which has already launched in 171 countries since August, is now coming to the United States and all regions where ChatGPT is available. For $8 per month, Go users receive expanded access to:

OpenAI positions ChatGPT Go as a middle ground between the free tier and higher-priced subscriptions, aimed at widening access without requiring users to pay for premium plans.

Because people rely on ChatGPT for personal, professional, and high-stakes tasks, OpenAI says introducing ads requires preserving the core qualities that make the product trustworthy. That includes confidence that responses are driven by what is objectively useful, never by advertising, and assurance that user data and conversations are protected and never sold to advertisers. OpenAI also says users must retain control over their experience, including the ability to limit personalization or opt out of ads entirely through paid plans.

With that framing, OpenAI outlined the principles it says will guide how advertising works inside ChatGPT:

OpenAI also acknowledges that, like all AI-assisted systems, ChatGPT is designed to support human decision-making rather than replace it, and users remain responsible for evaluating recommendations—whether sponsored or not.

OpenAI says it is not launching ads broadly yet, but plans to begin testing advertising in the coming weeks for logged-in adult users in the United States on the Free and ChatGPT Go tiers.

During the initial test, ads will appear at the bottom of ChatGPT responses when there is a relevant sponsored product or service related to the user’s current conversation. OpenAI says ads will be clearly labeled and visually separated from organic AI-generated answers.

Users will be able to:

OpenAI says ads will not appear in accounts where users indicate—or where the system predicts—that they are under 18. Ads will also be excluded from sensitive or regulated topics, including health, mental health, and politics.

OpenAI says advertising—if implemented carefully—can help lower the cost of access to ChatGPT while supporting a diverse revenue model. Rather than relying solely on subscriptions, the company says ads are intended to supplement existing paid offerings, allowing more people to use advanced AI tools without pushing all meaningful usage behind higher-priced plans. OpenAI emphasizes that its enterprise and subscription businesses are already strong, and that advertising is meant to complement, not replace, those revenue streams.

At the same time, OpenAI says it does not want to replicate traditional online advertising inside ChatGPT. Because ChatGPT is a conversational interface, the company says ads can be designed to be useful, relevant, and informative, rather than static or interruptive.

OpenAI also positions AI-powered advertising as a potential opportunity for small businesses and emerging brands, which often struggle to compete with larger companies in traditional ad markets. Conversational ads could allow these businesses to create more interactive experiences, helping people discover products or services they might not otherwise encounter—without relying solely on images or links.

Over time, OpenAI says advertising inside ChatGPT could become more interactive, allowing users to ask questions directly within an ad to better understand a product or service before making a purchase decision. These conversational ad experiences are not part of the initial test, but OpenAI says it plans to refine how ads appear based on user feedback, while maintaining its stated commitment to putting users first and preserving trust as advertising expands.

Q: When will ads appear in ChatGPT?
A: OpenAI says it plans to begin testing ads in the coming weeks for logged-in adult users in the United States on the Free and Go tiers.

Q: Where will ads appear?
A: Ads will appear at the bottom of answers when there is a relevant sponsored product or service related to the user’s current conversation.

Q: Will ads affect ChatGPT’s answers?
A: No. OpenAI says ads will not influence responses, which remain optimized solely for what is most helpful to the user.

Q: What about privacy and data use?
A: OpenAI says conversations will not be shared with advertisers, and user data will never be sold. Users can turn off ad personalization and clear ad-related data at any time.

Q: Who will not see ads?
A: Ads will not appear for users under 18, nor alongside sensitive or regulated topics such as health, mental health, or politics.

OpenAI’s decision to test ads in ChatGPT is less about advertising itself and more about how the company plans to fund broader access to its AI tools.

Running large AI models is expensive, and until now, the main way to unlock higher usage limits has been through paid subscriptions. By introducing ads on the Free and Go tiers—while keeping Pro, Business, and Enterprise ad-free—OpenAI is creating a lower-cost path for people who want more access but cannot justify higher monthly fees.

For users, this introduces a clearer set of tradeoffs: pay more and avoid ads, pay less and see limited advertising, or use the free version with tighter constraints. Importantly, OpenAI says ads will not influence responses, aiming to preserve trust even as monetization expands.

This approach also signals how AI platforms may evolve as they scale. Rather than forcing all meaningful usage behind paywalls, companies may increasingly rely on mixed models that combine subscriptions and advertising to support wider participation—especially as AI tools move from novelty to everyday utility.

Whether users accept ads as part of that tradeoff will help determine how accessible advanced AI becomes over time, and how sustainable these systems are at global scale.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.