OpenAI has announced that it will begin testing advertisements in ChatGPT later in January 2026, marking a major shift for the widely used AI chatbot that has so far operated largely without ads. The trial will start in the United States, initially for users on the free tier and the newly expanded low-cost ChatGPT Go subscription, as part of efforts to boost revenue and support continued investment in AI development and infrastructure.
What The Advertising Plans Involve
Under the new model, OpenAI will begin showing clearly labelled ads alongside or below ChatGPT responses when there is a relevant sponsored product or service tied to the user’s conversation. Advertisements will be separate from the actual chatbot output and are designed not to influence the AI’s answers. Users on **higher-tier subscriptions — such as Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise — will continue to enjoy an ad-free experience.
The ads are intended to appear only in appropriate contexts and will be blocked from showing in sensitive domains such as health, political content or for users under 18. OpenAI has emphasised that user conversations and personal data will not be sold to advertisers, and ad relevance may be adjusted based on topic rather than deep tracking.
Why OpenAI Is Introducing Ads
Advertising represents a new revenue opportunity for OpenAI as the company continues to incur high infrastructure and development costs associated with scaling advanced AI services. Analysts note that AI platforms are expensive to operate with massive compute and data-centre investments, and ad sales are viewed as a way to support ongoing expansion and reduce reliance solely on subscription fees.
ChatGPT has amassed hundreds of millions of weekly active users, with a large portion using the free service. Deploying ads to this broad user base could unlock additional revenue streams while keeping entry-level access affordable.
ChatGPT Go And Subscription Structure
Alongside ad testing, OpenAI has expanded its ChatGPT Go subscription globally and plans to continue offering multiple pricing tiers. ChatGPT Go, priced at approximately $8 per month, provides enhanced capabilities over the free version but will also include ads during the testing period. Ad-free experiences remain available at higher subscription levels, offering users control over their experience and choices about exposure to advertising.
The introduction of ads reflects OpenAI’s pragmatic shift toward diversified monetisation strategies, balancing accessibility with financial sustainability, especially as the company positions itself ahead of future growth phases and a potential public offering.
User Experience And Industry Reactions
Early reactions from industry observers are mixed. Some analysts believe advertising could help OpenAI fund long-term AI innovation, especially with a massive global user base. Others caution that poorly implemented advertising might impact user trust if ads feel intrusive or opportunistic. OpenAI has stressed that ads will be optional and controllable, and that the core foundation of reliable, unbiased AI responses will remain unaffected by monetisation.
