OpenAI is set to introduce ads on the free and Go versions of ChatGPT for users in the United States within the coming weeks. A company spokesperson confirmed this in an emailed statement to Reuters. The move, first reported by The Information, marks a significant shift in how OpenAI plans to generate revenue as the usage of ChatGPT continues to grow and the costs of running its infrastructure keep rising.
How Is OpenAI Setting Up Its Advertising System?
To get its ad operations running, OpenAI has integrated Criteo, an advertising technology firm, into its advertising pilot for the free and Go versions of ChatGPT in the US. Criteo, which provides an interface for buying ads and improving targeting, confirmed this in a statement earlier this month.
According to The Information, Criteo has been pitching advertisers on committing between $50,000 and $100,000 in spending.
OpenAI has also advised advertisers that supplying more variations of ad text and visuals can increase how often ads are shown and improve performance, The Information added.
Why Is OpenAI Moving Toward Advertising?
OpenAI has been exploring advertising as a new revenue stream as usage of ChatGPT has surged, Reuters has reported. The company is looking to diversify its income sources as it faces rising costs for computing infrastructure, while competition in the generative AI space continues to intensify.
For now, the ad rollout is limited to users on the free and Go plans in the US. It is not yet clear whether OpenAI plans to extend ads to its paid subscription tiers or expand the programme to other regions.
The decision to bring in ad revenue reflects the broader challenge AI companies face: balancing the cost of building and maintaining large-scale AI systems while keeping their products accessible to everyday users.
This also signals that free access to AI tools may increasingly come with trade-offs, much like social media platforms have operated for years.