OpenAI to Test Ads in ChatGPT for Free and Go Users
US rollout of advertisements and a new $8 ChatGPT Go tier aim to broaden access while keeping responses independent and data private under company principles.
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[Image source: Chetan Jha/MITSMR Middle East]
OpenAI will begin testing advertisements inside ChatGPT for some users in the US as the company looks to diversify revenue beyond subscriptions.
The ads will appear for users on ChatGPT’s free tier and a lower-cost subscription plan called ChatGPT Go, which OpenAI said will be priced at $8 a month globally, adjusted for local currencies. Higher-tier plans Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise will remain ad-free.
According to OpenAI, ads will be shown only after a user submits a prompt and will be clearly labelled and visually separated from AI-generated responses. For instance, a request for travel recommendations could trigger banner-style ads related to holidays or tourism. The company stressed that advertisements will not influence ChatGPT’s answers.
“Ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you,” OpenAI said in its announcement. “Answers are optimized based on what’s most helpful to you. Ads are always separate and clearly labeled.”
The trial will initially roll out to logged-in adult users in the US in the coming weeks. OpenAI said it will not show ads to users under 18, nor alongside sensitive or regulated topics such as health, mental health or politics.
The move comes as OpenAI continues to operate at significant losses despite rapid growth. The Financial Times previously reported that the company lost about $8 billion in the first half of 2025, while only around 5% of ChatGPT’s roughly 800 million users are paid subscribers.
OpenAI said ads are being introduced to expand access rather than maximise engagement.
“We’re not optimizing for time spent in ChatGPT. We prioritize user trust and user experience over revenue,” the company posted.
The company also emphasized data protections, stating that conversations will not be shared with advertisers.
“We keep your conversations with ChatGPT private from advertisers, and we never sell your data,” OpenAI said, adding that users will be able to turn off ad personalisation and dismiss ads they find irrelevant.
ChatGPT Go was first launched in India in 2025 and has since expanded to 171 countries. OpenAI said the tier is designed to offer broader access to AI tools with fewer usage limits at a lower cost.
While OpenAI was originally founded as a non-profit, it has increasingly moved toward commercial models. The decision also reflects a broader trend across the AI sector, where companies are exploring advertising alongside subscriptions as pressure grows to demonstrate viable business models.
