- OpenAI has started testing ads in ChatGPT in the U.S for free and for ChatGPT Go subscribers.
- The ads will appear as a banner at the end of every response from the chatbot.
- Users who don't want to see ads will need to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus, Pro plans or limit their daily free usage.
The dreaded day has finally arrived, as ChatGPT has officially begun testing ads in the U.S. Users will start to see ads at the end of the AI chatbot’s responses, and said ads will only be visible to ChatGPT free and Go tier subscribers. The company also clarified that ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise users won’t come across said ads.
Will Ads Influence ChatGPT Responses?
After the announcement from mid-January, OpenAI shared a blog post today, declaring the arrival of ads on its platform. In the beginning paragraph, OpenAI addressed the concerns with ads on ChatGPT, stating, “Ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you, and we keep your conversations with ChatGPT private from advertisers”.
It further clarified, “Our goal is for ads to support broader access to more powerful ChatGPT features while maintaining the trust people place in ChatGPT for important and personal tasks.”
The post also discusses the reason for bringing ads to its AI: “Keeping the Free and Go tiers fast and reliable requires significant infrastructure and ongoing investment. Ads help fund that work, supporting broader access to AI through higher quality free and low-cost options, and enabling us to keep improving the intelligence and capabilities we offer over time.”
OpenAI publicly shared the decision to bring ads last month, which garnered a lot of backlash from its users. Even Anthropic, another AI startup, mocked this step with its SuperBowl ad. To which Sam Altman replied with a lengthy post on X.
Can You Turn Off Ads in ChatGPT?
However, it remains to be seen whether OpenAI fulfills its promise not to influence ChatGPT responses. The company also suggested that people who don’t want to see ads can upgrade to its Plus or Pro tiers. Free members can also turn off ads in exchange for fewer messages per day. But what do you think about this move? Are you open to ads in ChatGPT? Let us know in the comments below.
