OpenAI has announced that advertisements will soon appear within ChatGPT for certain users. The initial testing phase will take place in the United States and will affect users on the free version of the platform as well as a new subscription plan called ChatGPT Go.
The ChatGPT Go plan will be available worldwide at a lower cost of $8 per month, or the equivalent in local currencies. According to OpenAI, ads will be shown after users submit a prompt. For example, if someone asks for travel recommendations for Mexico, they may see related holiday advertisements displayed as banner-style promotions.
OpenAI has stated that these ads will not influence the responses generated by ChatGPT, and no conversation data will be shared with advertisers. The company explained that advertising is being explored as a way to make its tools accessible to more users while reducing usage limitations.
At the same time, concerns are growing about whether the AI industry is financially sustainable. Some analysts believe the sector may be overvalued and has yet to prove long-term profitability.
Henry Ajder, an expert in artificial intelligence and synthetic media, said OpenAI’s move toward advertising was expected. He noted that although the company has experienced rapid user growth, it continues to rely heavily on investor funding and has not yet become profitable. He added that advertising is a common and reliable revenue source for many technology companies.
According to a report by the Financial Times, OpenAI recorded losses of approximately $8 billion (£5.98bn) in the first half of 2025. Despite having around 800 million users, only 5% are paying subscribers.
In addition to ChatGPT Go, OpenAI already offers Plus and Pro subscriptions, priced at $20 and $200 per month in the US. The Go plan was initially launched in India in 2025 before expanding to other countries.
Originally established as a non-profit organisation, OpenAI has increasingly shifted toward a commercial business model. Advertising has long been a major source of income across the internet economy.
OpenAI is not alone in considering this approach. Other AI companies have also explored advertising models, even though OpenAI CEO Sam Altman previously described ads as a “last resort.” In 2025, AI firm Perplexity hired a Head of Advertising and Shopping, although the executive left the company after nine months.
Meanwhile, Google has denied claims that it plans to introduce advertisements into its Gemini AI platform in 2026.