OpenAI faces user backlash as ChatGPT app suggestions spark confusion over intrusive ads

OpenAI slammed for app suggestions that looked like ads | TechCrunch

ChatGPT's unwelcome suggestion for a Peloton app during a conversation led to some backlash from OpenAI customers. People feared that ads had arrived, even for paid customers. OpenAI, however, clarified that the app suggestion was not an advertisement, but instead a poor attempt to integrate an app discovery feature within conversations. In a post on X, which has since been viewed nearly 462,000 times, AI startup Hyberbolic's co-founder, Yuchen Jin, shared a screenshot where ChatGPT seemingly suggested connecting the Peloton app in an unrelated conversation. Worse still, Jin noted he was a paid subscriber to ChatGPT's $200 per month Pro Plan. At that price point, ads would not be expected. The post, which was reshared and saved hundreds of times across X, received quite a bit of attention, as it seemed to indicate OpenAI was testing the insertion of ads into its paid product. Users complained that paying customers, especially, shouldn't have to see app suggestions like this. One person also pointed out that they couldn't get ChatGPT to stop recommending Spotify to them, even though they were an Apple Music subscriber. OpenAI's data lead for ChatGPT, Daniel McAuley, later jumped into the thread to clarify that the Peloton placement was not an ad; it was "only a suggestion to install Peloton's app." He said there was "no financial component" to the appearance of the app suggestion. However, he admitted that "the lack of relevancy" to the conversation made it a bad and confusing experience, and OpenAI was iterating on the suggestions and the user experience. A company spokesperson also confirmed to TechCrunch that what users had spotted was one of the ways OpenAI had been "testing surfacing apps in ChatGPT conversations." They pointed to OpenAI's announcement in October about its new app platform, where the company noted that apps would "fit naturally" into user conversations. "You can discover [apps] when ChatGPT suggests one at the right time, or by calling them by name. Apps respond to natural language and include interactive interfaces you can use right in the chat," the post explained. But that didn't appear to be the case here, as the user claims they weren't discussing anything related to health and fitness. Instead, as the screenshot shows, they had been chatting with the AI about a podcast featuring Elon Musk, where xAI was the topic being discussed. Inserting Peloton into this experience was unhelpful and a distraction. Yet even if the app suggestion had been relevant, users may have still viewed it as an ad, given that it's directing people to a product from a business that isn't free. In addition, users can't turn off these app suggestions, which may make them feel more intrusive. This user sentiment could have potential ramifications for OpenAI's desire to replace the App Store experience, and apps that run on your phone, with integrated apps that run within ChatGPT. If users don't want to see app suggestions, they could choose to switch to a competitor's chatbot to avoid them. Currently, ChatGPT apps are available to logged-in users outside of the EU, Switzerland, and the U.K., and the integrations are still in pilot testing. OpenAI partners with a number of app makers, including Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Figma, Expedia, Zillow, and others.

Use ChatGPT? Ads might appear for you soon - but here's a sly trick to avoid them

Code in a beta version of the ChatGPT Android app hints at adsOpenAI hasn't officially commented on the inclusion of adsiPhone users do have a workaround to avoid ads The days of ad-free ChatGPT might soon be over, as it appears OpenAI is inching closer toward including advertisements in its popular AI model. Diving into the code of a recent beta version of the ChatGPT app for Android (version 1.2025.32), a user spotted language that seems to indicate ads might be on the way. In several strings of code that reference "openai.feature.ads," verbiage like "search ad," "search ads carousel," and "ad target" appears. Also: Is ChatGPT Plus still worth $20? How it compares to the Free and Pro plans This isn't entirely a surprise. In the first episode of the OpenAI podcast earlier this year, company CEO Sam Altman expressed his thoughts on incorporating advertisements into his product. "I'm not totally against it," he said, adding, "I can point to areas where I like ads." He went on to explain that he thinks Instagram advertisements are "kinda cool," but admitted that they're difficult to get right. This is a bit of a reversal from last year, when Altman said he "hated ads" during a talk at Harvard and said while he's not "totally against" them on OpenAI products, he considers them "a last resort." (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET's parent company, filed an April 2025 lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.) Perhaps not coincidentally, the potential inclusion of ads comes at a time when OpenAI's revenue is coming under heavy criticism. According to a recent report in The Information, the company posted revenue of $4.3 billion in the first half of 2025, but still saw a net loss of $13.5 billion during that same timespan. Also: How to use ChatGPT: A beginner's guide to the most popular AI chatbot It's not clear yet how the potential ads on ChatGPT will appear. Will they show up on any query, or only for ones related to potential purchases, like if you ask for the most reliable model of dryer? As Altman has pointed out, if ads make their way into results, users will be left wondering who paid to influence those answers and could eventually trust the answers a little less. OpenAI hasn't officially commented on the inclusion of ads, but if things have progressed to the point that code in the app hints at ads, it's probably not far off. At least for now, there is a small workaround to use ChatGPT without ads. A little more than a year ago, Apple partnered with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT to its suite of products, including iOS, iPadOS, and MacOS. As several online reports have pointed out, this integration does not use requests for model training or advertisements if used without a ChatGPT account. Also: I let ChatGPT Atlas do my Walmart shopping for me - here's how the AI browser agent did In theory, this means that if you use ChatGPT through Siri (by asking a question Siri can't handle), you'll get access to ad-free ChatGPT.

OpenAI's App Suggestions Create Confusion, Concern About Intrusive Ads

ChatGPT has been nudging people to check out Target, Peloton, and other brands inside its chatbot, but OpenAI insists they're not ads. "This is not an ad -- it's just one of the ways we're testing surfacing ChatGPT apps when they're most relevant in the conversation," the company tells PCMag. "It's still early, and there's room for improvement in how we do this!" ChatGPT users are skeptical. "I hope this is just testing/a mistake, [or] else it's an instant unsubscribe from me," wrote one user on X/Twitter. As part of its DevDay in October, OpenAI announced a third-party app integration that brings services like Zillow and Spotify to the ChatGPT interface. You can use it to ask ChatGPT to find nearby rentals from Zillow's database or find songs on Spotify, for example. More recently, it added Target and Walmart, which allow you to shop directly from ChatGPT. Some people are seeing unrelated app suggestions, however. "I'm in ChatGPT (paid Plus subscription), asking about Windows BitLocker, and it's F-ing showing me ADS TO SHOP AT TARGET," wrote one angry user. In response, an OpenAI staffer said the company is working to improve app suggestion relevancy. Some AI fans worry the feature is an ominous preview of a ChatGPT ruined by ads. Others have been trolling OpenAI by posting fake images of it pushing users to check out OnlyFans or political lobbying groups. OpenAI has been exploring an ad-based model, and last week, the ChatGPT Android app was spotted including references to "feature.ads" and "AdTarget." However, the company has reportedly paused its advertising plans to focus on bolstering ChatGPT, over fears that it has lost some of its competitive edge to Google's Gemini 3 model.

OpenAI denies rolling out ads on ChatGPT paid plans

OpenAI has denied the reports that it has rolled out ads on ChatGPT Plus after users spotted recommendations for shopping apps. As potted on X, a ChatGPT Plus user casually asked a normal question about Windows BitLocker. While the AI answered the question, it also recommended shopping at Target for groceries. Now, groceries or home food are clearly not related to BitLocker, but the "Shop for home and groceries" bubble still appears, and it's quite fair to assume that it's an ad. However, an OpenAI executive argues that this is not "not an ad" but an app recommendation from a pilot partner, and that the company wants app suggestions to appear more "organic" inside ChatGPT. "We've launched apps from some of our pilot partners since DevDay, including Target, and have been working to make the discovery mechanism for apps more organic inside ChatGPT," Daniel McAuley wrote in a post on X. "Our goal is that apps augment the ux when relevant to a conversation, and we're still working on it. Anyone can build apps using the apps SDK, and we plan to open submissions and the app directory soon," he explained. For most people, it still looks and feels like an ad. You see a brand logo, a short shopping message, and a call-to-action, inside a paid product, even though you never asked about shopping or Target. ChatGPT is automatically pushing a commercial suggestion into an answer, just like how recommendation appear in the Windows 11 Start menu, and still defending it.

OpenAI's head of ChatGPT says posts appearing to show in-app ads are 'not real or not ads'

Those might not exactly be ads you're seeing on ChatGPT, at least according to OpenAI. Nick Turley, OpenAI's head of ChatGPT, clarified the confusion around potential ads appearing with the AI chatbot. In a post on X, Turley said "there are no live tests for ads" and that "any screenshots you've seen are either not real or not ads." The OpenAI exec's explanation comes after another post from former xAI employee Benjamin De Kraker on X that has gained traction, which featured a screenshot showing an option to shop at Target within a ChatGPT conversation. OpenAI's Daniel McAuley responded to the post, arguing that it's not an ad but rather an example of app integration that the company announced in October. However, the company's chief research officer, Mark Chen, also replied on X that they "fell short" in this case, adding that "anything that feels like an ad needs to be handled with care." "We've turned off this kind of suggestion while we improve the model's precision," Chen wrote on X. "We're also looking at better controls so you can dial this down or off if you don't find it helpful." There's still a lot of uncertainty about whether OpenAI will introduce ads to ChatGPT, but in November, someone discovered code in a beta version of the ChatGPT app on Android that made several mentions of ads. Even in Turley's post debunking the inclusion of live ads, the OpenAI exec added that "if we do pursue ads, we'll take a thoughtful approach." Turley also posted that "people trust ChatGPT and anything we do will be designed to respect that."

No, ChatGPT is not starting to show users ads, says OpenAI

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. Bottom line: Testing of OpenAI's App SDK feature has stirred controversy after some ChatGPT users mistook its app suggestions for ad placement. While it has since cleared up the misunderstanding, the episode raises the question of whether the company that has been running in the red since its inception will eventually start showing advertisements, especially to users on the free tier. A screenshot showing ChatGPT suggesting the Peloton app during an unrelated conversation blew up the internet on Monday. Many users feared the chatbot had begun displaying ads - even for paying customers. The screenshot, shared on X by AI enthusiast Kol Tregaskes, showed what appeared to be an ad for Peloton. "Find a fitness class " Connect Peloton," the offset suggestion read. Tregaskes said the appearance of the suggestion felt like advertising. He commented that if it was not just a mistake and OpenAI was intentionally spamming ads to its $200-per-month Pro users, it would be a deal-breaker for him. AI startup Hyberbolic's co-founder, Yuchen Jin, retweeted the screenshot, commenting, "Wow, ChatGPT is already showing ads?" Like Tregaskes, Jin was stunned when the same suggestion appeared for him while he was discussing Elon Musk on a podcast, adding that the placement seemed completely unrelated to the conversation. Users reacted strongly, particularly those on ChatGPT's $200-per-month Pro Plan, who would never expect to see advertising. The apparent product placement was not limited to Peloton; some users reported persistent suggestions for Spotify that clashed with their existing subscriptions. The reactions went viral, with many questioning whether OpenAI was quietly inserting commercial messaging into its paid product. Jin's retweet has already garnered almost 470,000 views, with hundreds of comments and shares. OpenAI quickly responded to the original post, explaining that it was not an ad. ChatGPT Data Lead Daniel McAuley clarified that the Peloton prompt had no financial component. "It's only a suggestion to install Peloton's app," he said. "But the lack of relevancy makes it a bad/confusing experience." OpenAI confirmed it was iterating on how app suggestions appear within chats. So it was not a bug - or an ad - but a feature, albeit a half-baked one. This is how they are supposed to work. The appearance of the Peloton suggestion is part of OpenAI's ongoing test of its new Apps SDK, introduced in October. The developers are designing the feature to enable ChatGPT to suggest apps and interact with them seamlessly during relevant conversations or when users call them by name (video above). Pilot partners include Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Figma, Expedia, Spotify, and Zillow, with more coming later this year. Clearly, early tests have produced awkward or irrelevant prompts, showing that the bun needs more time in the oven. For now, ChatGPT users outside the European Union, Switzerland, and the UK can encounter these suggestions on Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans. OpenAI emphasized that app prompts are optional, context-dependent, and not monetized, so the company is not targeting users with paid advertisements. Developers are continuing to refine the feature to ensure suggestions are helpful, relevant, and clearly distinguishable from traditional ads.

ChatGPT may not stay ad-free for much longer

One ChatGPT user claims to have already spotted an ad in the wild. Google has been running tests on how to best include ads on its AI services. However, Google isn't the only company interested in monetizing its AI offerings in this way. One of the tech giant's biggest competitors in the space may also be making similar preparations. Over the weekend, Tibor Blaho on X (formerly Twitter) shared the screenshot below, allegedly taken from the 1.2025.329 beta of the ChatGPT Android app. These lines of code heavily suggest ads are coming to the platform, with mentions of "search ad," "ad features," "bazaar content," and more. Android Authority has not yet independently verified whether the lines of code in the screenshot are present in this version of the app. Only a day after this screenshot was posted on social media, we may have got our first bit of evidence. Yuchen Jin on X shared the screenshot below, claiming that an ad popped up for him while using the chatbot. That ad features a picture of a water bottle and says "Find a fitness class" with "Connect Peloton" below it. The ad is located underneath the chatbot's response. On the OpenAI podcast, CEO Sam Altman previously stated that the company is not against embedding ads on the platform. However, Altman notes that the company is still working out the best method. If OpenAI is testing the waters for embedding ads, it's currently unclear how the company plans to go about it. It wouldn't be much of a surprise if we end up seeing ads come to the free tier.

Code suggests that OpenAI may be close to introducing ads for ChatGPT

The truly free ride for ChatGPT might soon come to a close as OpenAI could be nearing the introduction of ads. As first discovered by Tibor Blaho on X, a beta version of ChatGPT's Android app includes lines of code that heavily reference ads. According to the post, the 1.2025.329 beta version includes mentions of "ads feature," "search ad" and "bazaar content." While this isn't a version that's available to the public yet, it could be an indication that OpenAI is ready to open the ad floodgates. This discovery follows a report from The Information earlier this month that claimed that OpenAI was considering incorporating ads in ChatGPT based on memory or user chats. Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, has previously discussed how ads could get incorporated into ChatGPT, but has never offered a definitive stance. During an event at Harvard Business School last year, Altman said that combining ads and AI is "uniquely unsettling to me" and that it's a "last resort for us as a business model," but that he's "not totally against them." Months later, Altman reiterated in the first episode of the OpenAI podcast that the company isn't against embedding ads into the platform but hasn't figured out the exact method. While the recently-discovered lines of code don't reveal where ads would be included, OpenAI could be considering ads for the free tier that already offers limits on messages, memory and overall reasoning.

ChatGPT ads are on the way, but iPhone users can avoid them - 9to5Mac

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman once described the idea of embedded ChatGPT ads as "unsettling" and "a last resort," but there are now multiple indications that they are on the way. It had been previously reported that the company was considering ads appearing in the AI chatbot, at least for free users, and code has now been spotted which points to preparation for this ... As Engadget reports, Altman spoke at a Harvard Business School event last year and suggested that he would do everything possible to avoid embedding ads in AI chats - without actually ruling it out. Altman said that combining ads and AI is "uniquely unsettling to me" and that it's a "last resort for us as a business model," but that he's "not totally against them." The Information last month claimed that the company was considering embedding ads into user chats and code discovered in the latest Android app beta very much backs this. As first discovered by Tibor Blaho on X, a beta version of ChatGPT's Android app includes lines of code that heavily reference ads. According to the post, the 1.2025.329 beta version includes mentions of "ads feature," "search ad" and "bazaar content." The inclusion of ads in the free tier of ChatGPT seems inevitable, and once ads do roll out, it's almost certain to apply to the iOS app as well as the Android one. However, for individual questions, iPhone users will be able to continue to access the service via Siri, which will almost certainly not include ads. All you have to do is ask Siri a question it cannot answer (which, let's face it, isn't difficult ...), and it will fallback to ChatGPT. Apple's agreement with OpenAI means that these sessions are not used to train the AI, and it seems obvious that ads will similarly be excluded.

Code reveals OpenAI could be preparing to introduce ads to ChatGPT

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. TL;DR: With around 800 million weekly users, 95% of whom are on the free tier, it's somewhat surprising that OpenAI has never introduced ads to its incredibly popular chatbot. But based on some newly discovered code, it appears that will soon change. Developer Tibor Blaho was digging into the code in a beta version of ChatGPT's Android app when he found some new lines that suggest the impending arrival of ads to the service. The 1.2025.329 beta version includes references to an ads feature, bazaar content, search ad, and search ads carousel. The final version of the app isn't yet available to the public, but the discovery does suggest that OpenAI is getting ready to generate some extra revenue from the hundreds of millions of people on its free tier. Reports that OpenAI was considering adding ads to ChatGPT first appeared in The Information earlier this month. The publication wrote that Sam Altman's firm has hired around 630 former Meta employees, about 20% of its 3,000 employees, and has a Slack channel devoted to Meta alums. OpenAI is reportedly considering whether ChatGPT could show ads based on its knowledge of users gathered from memory or previous chats - targeted advertising, basically. Focus groups have revealed that some users already think ChatGPT has ads - a finding that some OpenAI staff are using as justification for introducing them. OpenAI boss Altman previously appeared to be against ads, calling them "uniquely unsettling" and a "last resort." But he recently changed his stance, saying on the first episode of the OpenAI podcast that he wasn't totally against ads but hadn't figured out a way to embed them into the company's products. While the code doesn't reveal any details, it's likely that the ads will appear in ChatGPT's free tier, following the same strategy as streaming services that subsidize their cheaper plans with ads. ChatGPT's free and paid tiers differ mainly in power, speed, features, and reliability. The free version offers basic access but comes with message limits, occasional slowdowns during busy periods, and reduced access to advanced tools or the newest AI models. OpenAI will likely hope the introduction of ads would be the final push that moves some users onto paid plans.

OpenAI tipped to launch ads on ChatGPT -- and there's already a huge backlash

(Image credit: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) If you thought paying for ChatGPT would mean an ad-free experience, think again. Over the past few days, OpenAI quietly began showing what it calls "app suggestions" in ChatGPT -- even for paying users shelling out $20 to $200 per month. These suggestions pop up mid-conversation, offering links to third-party tools or services that integrate with the assistant. The backlash was immediate. "'Lose all your users' is a real possibility here," one Reddit commenter warned, linking to a screenshot showing ChatGPT suggesting Peloton in the middle of a completely unrelated conversation. "I might just cancel my subscription," said another. "I didn't pay for in-chat ads." For many users, the result is unwanted and could signal a shift away from the AI tool. OpenAI is already struggling to keep up with the competition since Gemini 3.0 was released, and even announced a 'Code Red' as they attempt to keep up. OpenAI insists they're not paid placements. There's "no financial component," according to data lead Daniel McAuley. In a public post on X, McAuley stated: "This is not an ad (there's no financial component). It's only a suggestion to install Peloton's app." He added that the team is working to improve the experience and acknowledged the poor fit in the now-viral screenshot: "I agree the current implementation is bad/confusing -- the team is actively iterating on it." But users aren't convinced. Even without a financial transaction behind the scenes, many argue that the experience is functionally indistinguishable from advertising. This isn't the first time OpenAI has faced backlash over a decision, something the company has quietly done in the past as if users wouldn't notice. When ChatGPT-5 launched, the legacy model, ChatGPT-4o, disappeared from the model picker, forcing users to subscribe to a paid tier to use it. Now, those subscribers are getting what appears to be ads, which feels like another blow. ChatGPT has become a deeply personal tool for millions of users -- one they use for writing, coding, therapy-like reflection, career advice and more. Injecting app suggestions into those conversations risks shifting the dynamic from "trusted assistant" to something undesirable. The real question here is if these ads aren't actually sponsored today, the infrastructure now exists to monetize the assistant's most private, context-rich moments. The slippery slope isn't theoretical -- it's already being tested. Once users start questioning whether a suggestion is rooted in helpfulness or commercial value, the relationship changes. For many, ChatGPT was the first mainstream AI they used, and they now talk to it daily. But if it begins suggesting products and services, especially for paid users, it could risk eroding trust. So... is this the beginning of ads in ChatGPT? We might just have to wait and see. At this time, there's no confirmed ad platform, and OpenAI insists that it's not getting paid for these suggestions. But from a user's perspective, it's hard to draw a clear line between a helpful integration and a gently pushed product pitch. OpenAI hasn't said whether app suggestions will roll out more broadly, remain in testing or evolve into a formal advertising product. But the backlash may force its hand. The issue with ChatGPT's app suggestions isn't just that they're distracting. It's that they shift the AI's purpose. They distort how answers are generated. And they erode the trust that makes AI useful in the first place. Still, the damage may already be done. If OpenAI isn't careful, that shift could cost it the very thing that made ChatGPT so revolutionary: user trust.

OpenAI Preparing to Stuff Ads Into ChatGPT, According to Beta Code in App

Brace yourselves, for your cozy little conversations with OpenAI's ChatGPT are about to be stuffed with ads. At least, that's the findings of a software engineer who dug through the code of an experimental build of the chatbot's app. The engineer, Tibor Blaho, flagged roughly a dozen lines of code in the latest beta release of the ChatGPT app for Android, 1.2025.329, labelled "feature ads," with strings referencing commercial-sounding stuff like "search ad," "search ads carousel," and "bazaar content." It's yet another sign that OpenAI is preparing to cash in on its hundreds of millions of users by showing them ads, amid growing pressure on the company to demonstrate it can make a profit while its spending -- and AI capital expenditures at large -- continue to balloon past what subscriptions can support. OpenAI leadership has played coy when asked about ads. Last December, chief financial officer Sarah Friar told the Financial Times that the company, now valued at around half a trillion dollars, was exploring an ad model, but then backtracked by stating there were "no active plans to pursue advertising." CEO Sam Altman has sent similarly mixed messages. He once called the idea of integrating ads into ChatGPT "unsettling" and described them as a "last resort." But this year, Altman said he wasn't "totally against" advertising, that it was something he expected to "try at some point," and praised Instagram's ad model (which, it's worth noting, has attracted an immense amount of criticism from non-CEOs.) The warning signs have been there, however, regardless of the execs' messaging. Amid Friar's waffling on the issue, for instance, the Financial Times reported that OpenAI was poaching top ad talent from its rivals like Google and Meta, while posting ad-related job listings on LinkedIn. And last month, The Information reported that OpenAI was considering showing individually-tailored ads based on ChatGPT's memory of user interactions. The reporting noted that the AI startup had imported hundreds of ex-employees from Meta, an advertising juggernaut; in 2023, 98 percent of Meta's over $130 billion revenue came from ads. If ads do come to OpenAI's products, the change will be a controversial one. ChatGPT has been completely ad free since its launch three years ago, becoming part of its appeal as an alternative to ad-stuffed search engines like Google. Moreover, the intrusion of ads could dispel some of the human-like familiarity that users have fostered with the chatbot. It will also raise a host of ethical concerns. Users tend to share much more intimate details with a chatbot than they do a search bar, and the AI's ability to act like a friend and a confidante -- traits that are themselves controversial amid more and more accounts of so-called "AI psychosis" -- could be repurposed for sleazy salesmanship. Chatbots, or at least the way the industry designs them, are inherently addictive and engaging; a Google search is not. In any case, OpenAI wouldn't be alone in going down this route. Google has been showing sponsored content in its infamously wonky AI Overviews for over a year. Perplexity has been experimenting with ads since last year, too, as has the Google-backed AI companion platform Chai.

Your ChatGPT conversations may not stay ad-free for long

Sponsored suggestions could become part of your everyday prompts What's happened? Heads up if you use ChatGPT: it looks like ads could appear in your conversations soon. According to Bleeping Computer, a recent code leak by computer engineer Tibor Blaho on X hints that OpenAI is preparing to roll out ads in ChatGPT. The leaked code of the Android beta app has references to an "ads feature," "search ad," and a "search ads carousel." The ad feature seems tied to certain types of "searchable queries," suggesting not all chats will see ads. This is important because: ChatGPT's rise has been meteoric, but profitability has remained elusive. Despite its large user base, OpenAI has yet to become profitable as the cost of running and maintaining the AI infrastructure remains sky-high. That pressure seems to be pushing the company toward alternative revenue streams apart from ChatGPT subscription. Ads could help offset computing and operational costs while keeping a free tier alive, but at the cost of changing the user experience for many people. For users, the downside is that what once felt like a clean, ad-free assistant might become more like a search engine with sponsored links, subtle marketing, and the risk that recommendations could shift slightly toward what pays rather than what's purely helpful. Why should I care? If ads begin appearing: Your AI chat might sometimes include sponsored links or suggestions. Some "search-like" queries could trigger ad-style results first, before you get helpful answers. Some conversations may feel less natural, especially if the ad context isn't obvious. The AI might use your query history or context to deliver personalized ads, which raises privacy and bias concerns. Recommended Videos OK, what's next? As of now, there's no official confirmation by OpenAI. The leak only shows the company is preparing the infrastructure. If OpenAI moves ahead, users who value ad-free, distraction-free chats might want to consider subscribing to alternative tools.

Ads could soon be coming to ChatGPT -- here's what we know

In its three years of availability, ChatGPT has managed to avoid introducing adverts, even on its free plan. However, that could be about to change, according to a recent leak. Engineer Tbor Blaho, known for his AI insights and leaks, posted an image on X. This shows references to "ads features," as well as "search ad" and "search ads carousel" in the code for the ChatGPT Android app in its next beta version. While this was only identified in the Android app version, if OpenAI is planning on launching adverts, they will most likely come to all platforms, from iOS to desktop. For now, this is only a rumor and isn't actually confirmed. The phrasing of the code also suggests that it will be limited to search functions. This could mean it is limited to OpenAI's recent "Shopping Research" feature, which serves up products to buy alongside shopping-related queries. It could alternatively be part of a restructuring of ChatGPT plans. Currently, the free version of ChatGPT simply limits users on what they can use and puts usage limits on prompts. However, an easy way for OpenAI to boost profit would be to implement adverts to free users, offering an ad-free version to all those who are paying. How likely are adverts on ChatGPT? Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, has previously held a clear stance on adverts, stating last year that they would only be used as a last resort. This follows the company's long-held stance against adverts. However, since then, the position has started to shift. In recent months, Altman has said that the way Instagram integrates adverts has changed his opinion on them. He went on to say that there could be a way OpenAI could find "some cool product ad" that would be a "net win to the user." Altman's change in opinion lines up with a very real problem that is occurring in the AI space: how do you match profits to the obscenely high costs of the industry? OpenAI is in the process of changing from a research charity that was focused on advancing the industry to a business. This means the need to find profitable avenues is more important than ever. Currently, the vast majority of profits for the company (outside investments) is coming from paid subscribers. However, there is a largely untapped market, consisting of the huge number of people on ChatGPT's free plan. While nothing is confirmed yet, there is a high likelihood that OpenAI could soon have adverts, and maybe its competitors will follow quickly. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.

ChatGPT might show ads according to a code string

OpenAI appears to be laying the technical groundwork to monetize its free user base through advertising, signaling a shift from its ad-free origins. Code buried within the latest beta version of the ChatGPT Android app (v1.2025.329) explicitly references advertising frameworks, including specific strings for "ads feature," "search ad," and "bazaar content." The discovery, made by reverse engineer Tibor Blaho, indicates that the infrastructure to serve commercial content is being actively developed, even if it is not yet visible to the public. This technical development aligns with recent reporting from The Information, which suggested OpenAI was exploring ad models that could leverage user chat history and memory data. While CEO Sam Altman previously described the intersection of AI and advertising as "uniquely unsettling" and a "last resort" during a Harvard Business School event, he has steadily softened this stance, admitting the company is not "totally against" the revenue model. If implemented, these ads would likely target the platform's free tier, effectively ending the "truly free ride" for non-paying users who already face restrictions on reasoning capabilities and message limits.

Ads may be coming to ChatGPT as OpenAI reshapes how the service works

Summary Beta code hints that OpenAI is preparing to introduce ads into the chatbot's interface. OpenAI might use personal details in chat history and other user interactions to tailor advertising. It's possible that paying for ChatGPT Plus, Pro, or enterprise plans could let users avoid ads. While there are plenty of reasons to upgrade to a pay for a ChatGPT subscription, the free version of ChatGPT, as we know it, might be coming to an end soon. According to code spotted in a recent beta build of the ChatGPT app, OpenAI appears to be preparing to add advertising into the chatbot's interface. The first hint came from Tibor Blaho on X, who spotted a beta version of ChatGPT's Android app packed with references to ads. In the 1.2025.329 beta, the code apparently mentions things like "ads feature," "search ad," and "bazaar content." This version isn't public yet, but it hints that OpenAI might be preparing to bring ads to ChatGPT -- signalling the end of a truly free AI experience from the company. OpenAI's stance on ads has shifted over time Altman once called ads "unsettling," but the door has stayed open The debate over whether ChatGPT will add advertising has been around for a while, and OpenAI's official line has shifted over time. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has talked before about the possibility of adding ads to ChatGPT, but he hasn't taken a firm position. At a Harvard Business School event in May 2024, Altman described combining ads and AI as "uniquely unsettling to me" and called it a "last resort for us as a business model," though he also said he's "not totally against them." In June 2025, Altman made it clear on the first episode of the OpenAI podcast that the company isn't opposed to adding ads, but they were still figuring out exactly how it would work. By early November, it appeared that the company was actively developing an advertising infrastructure for ChatGPT based on memory or user chats, according to a report from The Information. Related ChatGPT's new feature is a game-changer for holiday shopping Let ChatGPT's shopping tool guide you to the perfect gift Posts By Saikat Basu 5 days ago Your chats might shape the ads you see Privacy concerns rise as ChatGPT becomes more personal Adding ads to ChatGPT raises more than just questions about the user experience -- it also shines a spotlight on privacy. ChatGPT has received many memory upgrades and remembers a lot about you. Unlike a typical search engine, ChatGPT often collects more personal information from users in the course of a conversation, and there are now signs that OpenAI's ad model could tap into that chat history to serve personalized advertising. Since ChatGPT's launch in late 2022, users have been sending more and more personal information through chats. Users have been using AI for gut checks on real-life decisions (like moving to a new country or getting divorced), advice on raising their children and even medical diagnoses. That's all on top of people using AI as a search engine. OpenAI recently released data showing that a small percentage of ChatGPT users exhibit possible signs of severe mental health issues, including mania, psychosis, or suicidal thoughts. While the company says only around 0.07% of weekly active users show these signs, critics note that with 800 million users, this could affect hundreds of thousands of people. These are topics that most users would assume are confidential, but they could now be used to make advertising suggestions. OpenAI lets users opt out of certain ChatGPT features, like chat history and training, giving some control over how their conversations are stored and used. Can you dodge ads in ChatGPT? There's no public information yet on what ads in ChatGPT will actually look like, but it's reasonable to assume that paying for a premium tier will let users avoid them entirely. Most people use the free version of ChatGPT, which includes basic access to GPT-4o mini, web-augmented responses, and limited access to advanced features. ChatGPT Plus, which costs around $20 per month, offers higher usage limits and access to more advanced capabilities, while ChatGPT Pro and enterprise tiers provide even greater access for power users and larger teams. Obviously, OpenAI is hoping that advertising will shift some of its free users into paid tiers. It's not clear yet what ads in ChatGPT will actually look like, but there are a few possibilities. They could appear as casual links to websites or products dropped into your conversation, full-screen interruptions that break up your prompts, or even short "must-watch" video ads between interactions. How intrusive they end up being -- and whether premium tiers will let you skip them entirely -- remains to be seen.

OpenAI Says ChatGPT Isn't Showing Ads to Paid Users

Such suggestions have been disabled while OpenAI improves precision OpenAI officials have dismissed claims of ads appearing on paid tiers of ChatGPT. The controversy initially stemmed from screenshots shared by users on social media recently, highlighting ads appearing below prompt responses in an unrelated conversation. This happened even if they were enrolled in a paid subscription to the AI chatbot. Following the backlash, an OpenAI official claimed that what screenshots of users saw on social media was either "not ads or not real". Ads on ChatGPT In a post on X, OpenAI's Chief Research Officer Mark Chen wrote that anything that feels like an advertisement within the AI chatbot "needs to be handled with care". The official admitted that here, the company "fell short". The most notable instance of ads appearing on ChatGPT surfaced on December 3, when an X post by user @BenjaminDEKR said that they were researching Windows BitLocker on ChatGPT, but they came across ads. Below the response, the AI chatbot showed an ad about shopping for home and groceries at the US retail store Target, which was unrelated to the conversation. "I'm in ChatGPT (paid Plus subscription), asking about Windows BitLocker, and it's showing me ADS TO SHOP AT TARGET", the post read. The social media post garnered over half a million views, prompting an initial response from Daniel McAuley, a Data Scientist at OpenAI. The official clarified that what the user saw was not an ad, but an app integrated into ChatGPT. "We've launched apps from some of our pilot partners since DevDay, including Target, and have been working to make the discovery mechanism for apps more organic inside chatgpt", the response read. However, the user responded by claiming that when brands inject themselves into an unrelated chat and encourage users to shop at their store are essentially ads. Responding to the user, OpenAI's Mark Chen clarified that the company has turned off such suggestions while the model's precision is improved. Further, OpenAI is also said to be incorporating better controls to enable the user to reduce its frequency or turn it off altogether, if they wish to. In a subsequent X post, Nick Turely, Head of ChatGPT, confirmed that it is not running any live tests for ads, and any screenshots that users may be seeing are either not ads or not real. "If we do pursue ads, we'll take a thoughtful approach. People trust ChatGPT and anything we do will be designed to respect that," Turley added.

OpenAI Might Be Showing Ads to Some ChatGPT Users

It is unclear when the company officially rolls out ads on the platform OpenAI's ChatGPT might soon show users ads as they message the company's popular chatbot. Multiple reports indicate that the San Francisco-based artificial intelligence (AI) giant has started testing ads on its chatbot platform. At least one user has spotted ads on ChatGPT, highlighting the company might be nearing wider integration. As per older reports, the company has been considering embedding ads on the platform as a separate revenue channel since August, ever since Fidji Simo joined OpenAI as the CEO of Applications. Simo, the former Head of Facebook app at Meta, is said to be a big believer in ad-led revenue growth. OpenAI Might Bring Ads to ChatGPT Soon Tibor Blaho, the Lead Engineer at AIPRM, posted (first spotted by Android Authority) a screenshot of the ChatGPT app on X (formerly known as Twitter), to reveal newly added references to ads. The code snippets were spotted in the ChatGPT's Android app beta version 1.2025.329, and there are multiple strings of "ads.feature" that hint at the company's plans. Some of the notable mentions in the strings include "ad target," "bazaar content," "search ad," and "search ads carousel." While just this information is not enough to draw any conclusions, it hints that the company could be planning to show targeted ads, search-based ads, and a display carousel for the same. Notably, since the information is just visible in the code snippet, there is no confirmation if this is how OpenAI will set up the ads the same way. Another X user, Yuchen Jin, shared a screenshot where an ad is visible. The ad appeared as a bottom banner on the screen, and said "Find a fitness class, Connect Peloton." The user clarified that the shown ad was unrelated to the topic of the conversation, highlighting OpenAI is not testing targeted ads just yet. Notably, if the company did show targeted ads, that would raise several privacy concerns. While nothing else is known about how the company is planning to implement ads, it is likely that the paid subscription tiers (Plus and Pro) will be exempted from it. The free tier will see the most number of ads, and they could even be shown to the ChatGPT Go users, given that it is a cheaper plan that sits between the free tier and Plus.

OpenAI says ChatGPT is not showing ads after facing massive backlash

Plans for an ad-driven business are reportedly on hold as OpenAI prioritises improving ChatGPT's overall quality. OpenAI has once again cleared the air regarding the ChatGPT ad speculations that have been circulating on the internet. In a statement, OpenAI stated that several paying subscribers who reported seeing what appeared to be promotional messages within the platform were not advertising or testing advertising features. According to the senior executives, the recent suggestions shown to users missed the mark. The issue gained attention after users shared screenshots of ChatGPT recommending brands such as Peloton and others. Now, the AI giant has clarified that these were not paid promotions, but rather part of an experiment highlighting third-party apps built on the ChatGPT platform that was launched in October, an experiment that the company insists had no commercial component. Despite that explanation, many subscribers reacted negatively, accusing OpenAI of undermining the experience for paying users. Nick Turley, who leads ChatGPT, attempted to quell the confusion, stating that there are no live tests for ads and that any circulating screenshots are misleading or misunderstood. He also added that if OpenAI ever chooses to explore advertising, the approach would be carefully designed to maintain user trust. However, chief research officer Mark Chen stated something else. Chen acknowledged that certain suggestions that were delivered by the model may have resembled advertisements and conceded that OpenAI fell short in how they were presented. As per him, the company has now disabled these types of suggestions while it works on improving accuracy and plans to introduce more granular controls so users can reduce or turn off such recommendations. This comes amid OpenAI's plans for an advertising-driven business. Previously, the company hired former Instacart and Facebook executive Fidji Simo as CEO of Applications, a move widely interpreted as an ambition to introduce ads on the platform. However, the company, as per a Wall Street Journal report, has put a temporary pause on such efforts, declaring code red internally and directing teams to prioritise ChatGPT's overall quality before expanding to new products, including ads.

ChatGPT Ads: Sam Altman's dangerous road to boost OpenAI profits, will it work?

Code leaks reveal early ChatGPT advertising tests despite internal product reset On December 2, 2025, Sam Altman sent a companywide memo titled "code red" that urged OpenAI teams to drop distractions and refocus entirely on improving ChatGPT. The memo never mentioned advertising. Yet code strings in the Android beta, including "sponsored," "search ad," and "bazaar content," point to a quiet build-out of an ad system behind the scenes. This sets up the defining tension for OpenAI in 2026. Can the company introduce ads to support its enormous free tier without breaking the trust that made ChatGPT a cultural phenomenon in the first place? Also read: ChatGPT users spot ads as OpenAI begins experimental rollout: Here's what we know Altman's memo reoriented the company toward product quality at a moment when Google's Gemini ecosystem is gaining ground. Teams were told to prioritise accuracy, speed and reliability. Advertising was not part of the immediate plan, although internal discussions suggest it remains on the roadmap for free users sometime in 2026. The omission matters because OpenAI has been testing ad formats in small experiments, even as its Head of ChatGPT, Nick Turley, had said that the "magic of ChatGPT" is that it chooses products "without any interference." External reporting and code leaks indicate that sponsored slots and product carousels are already under development. The memo created breathing room for the company to improve its core assistant, but it did not erase the economic pressure pushing ads to the surface. That economic pressure is the bridge to the next problem. OpenAI's financial model has reached a scale where pure subscriptions are unlikely to cover costs. Public reporting points to around 13 billion dollars in projected revenue for 2025, with internal ambitions for far higher figures by the end of the decade. Yet the cost of inference, which is the energy and hardware required to answer user messages, appears to be enormous. Analysts suggest that these costs already compete with current revenue and could grow significantly as usage increases. Only a fraction of ChatGPT's vast user base pays for the service, which makes the free tier an expensive public good. Advertising is the first attempt at a sustainable fix. Market analysts project that a well designed ad system could generate revenue in the low billions by the middle of the decade, with higher potential if conversational commerce takes off. Digital marketers like Neil Patel already describe ChatGPT as a "trillion‑dollar shopping gateway" and "the next trillion‑dollar ad network" built on intent‑rich dialogue. Competitors such as Google can fund their AI offerings with profitable search ads, which puts further pressure on OpenAI to diversify its income. That financial logic explains why ads continue to reappear in strategy conversations, even when they come with real risks. Also read: Better than VAR? FIFA World Cup 2026 will have more accurate tech The challenge is not simply adding ads. It is protecting the neutrality that users expect. ChatGPT often serves as a coach, advisor or search surrogate. If a recommendation for a hotel, camera or flight appears as part of an answer, many users will wonder whether the assistant offered genuine guidance or pushed a sponsor. Industry analysts warn that "if the line between advice and advertising blurs, trust erodes" and smaller players risk being squeezed out. Even clearly labelled sponsored blocks can influence trust, especially in categories where people are comparison shopping. Ranking creates another layer of risk. Once ads exist inside the chat interface, the line between organic answers and paid placement can blur. Users have already voiced concerns on social platforms about their conversations being used to target ads. Any perception that private queries are feeding a marketing engine could trigger regulatory scrutiny in regions with strict privacy laws. A misstep here would give competitors a powerful opening to differentiate themselves as safer and cleaner. The success of this strategy depends on the boundaries OpenAI sets. The plan is likely to succeed financially if ads stay clearly labelled, appear only in appropriate contexts and remain isolated from core reasoning. It is likely to fail if sponsored content begins to influence general advice or if targeting feels intrusive. Investors such as Brad Gerstner have already questioned how OpenAI can justify massive long‑term spending without clearer unit economics, a tension that advertising alone may not resolve. A third path is also possible. Competitors may position themselves as premium, ad free alternatives, which could split the market. The metrics to watch are simple. How quickly revenue from free user monetisation grows. Whether privacy terms change to allow broader data use. And whether other assistants gain share by promising a cleaner experience. Those signals will reveal whether OpenAI is finding a balance or drifting into the same commercial patterns that reshaped earlier generations of the internet.

ChatGPT users spot ads as OpenAI begins experimental rollout: Here's what we know

The beta version, labelled 1.2025.329, is not available to the public yet, but inside it the developer found terms like "ads feature", "search ad", "search ads carousel" and "bazaar content" OpenAI is reportedly getting ready to show ads inside the ChatGPT app, and some users say they are already seeing them. On social media platform X, several people are posting screenshots claiming that ads are appearing in their ChatGPT experience. This comes after developer Tibor Blaho found code related to ads. The beta version, labelled 1.2025.329, is not available to the public yet, but inside it the developer found terms like "ads feature", "search ad", "search ads carousel" and "bazaar content" The idea of advertising in ChatGPT is not completely new. Earlier this month, a report from The Information said that OpenAI is exploring the idea of placing advertisements inside ChatGPT. During a talk at Harvard Business School, Sam Altman called the mix of ads and AI "uniquely unsettling" and said the company would treat ads as a "last resort business model." However, he also made it clear that he is not completely against the idea if it becomes necessary. Also read: ChatGPT and Gemini can be fooled by poems to give harmful responses, study finds Altman again spoke about this on the OpenAI podcast, saying the company is open to experimenting with ads. The new code in the Android beta does not give clear details, but it suggests that ads could be aimed mainly at users of the free version of ChatGPT. The free tier already has limits on how much people can use it. Adding ads could be one way for OpenAI to cover the high costs of running large AI models while keeping a free option available. Also read: Amazon Black Friday Sale: Google Pixel 9a price drops by over Rs 9,200: Details If OpenAI goes ahead with this plan, ChatGPT could start showing ads during searches or inside chat responses. For now, ad features seem to be in testing, but the code and user reports show that OpenAI is actively moving toward an ad-supported future.