ChatGPT still operates without visible or intrusive ads, but this may soon change. OpenAI is exploring the introduction of an advertising product after CEO Sam Altman softened his previously harsh view on ads — a year ago calling them “gross,” BusinessInsider reports.
Whether they use the free version or a paid subscription, ChatGPT users aren’t seeing ads yet. However, growing signs suggest the chatbot might adopt a monetization model similar to tech giants like Google, Facebook or Instagram, all of which started ad-free before shifting toward paid promotion.
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One clue surfaced over the weekend when developer Tibor Blaho discovered code in the ChatGPT Android app hinting at ad-related features. While the code may represent internal testing rather than a concrete roadmap, many observers believe ads in ChatGPT are increasingly likely.
Recent moves by OpenAI support this direction. In 2025, the company confirmed it was considering launching an advertising product and has been hiring aggressively from Meta — one of the most successful digital advertising ecosystems. Sam Altman revealed that ChatGPT has around 800 million weekly users, but only a small fraction pay. Monetizing the rest through advertisements appears to be the obvious business path.
It remains unclear what form these ads might take, but several possibilities exist: search-intent ads similar to Google’s model; personalized targeting based on what ChatGPT knows about users, mirroring Meta’s approach; simple text-based sponsored links embedded in answers; or multimedia advertising, including images, video or audio seamlessly inserted into conversations.
Discussion groups tracked by The Information indicate that some users already suspect ChatGPT results may be influenced by advertising — even though OpenAI has not implemented such features. For now, the type and timing of potential ad formats remain uncertain, but signs increasingly point to a future where ChatGPT includes commercial content, especially in the Android app.
Photo: Techlusive
