OpenAI Launches Ads inside ChatGPT

OpenAI has started testing ads inside ChatGPT.

For now, ads are only shown to Free and Go users, and they come with personalisation options. Paid plans remain ad-free.

This is a big change.
Until now, #ChatGPT was known for having no ads at all. This move signals a clear shift toward a new way to make money.

The announcement didn’t go unnoticed.

During the Super Bowl, rival company #Anthropic ran ads mocking the idea of AI chatbots showing advertising. Their message was simple: badly placed ads could ruin the user experience. The commercials showed AI assistants giving advice… while awkward, irrelevant ads popped up on screen.

Things got tense after that.

#OpenAI CEO #SamAltman fired back, calling the ads “dishonest” and accusing Anthropic of acting like an “authoritarian company.”

So why does this matter?

Because how ads are added to AI tools will shape trust, usability, and the future of AI products. If done well, users may accept it. If done poorly, it could push people away.

This test will tell us a lot about where #AI is heading next. 👀

You can read the full story here 👇 if you want dive deeper into the development: https://www.bigswich.com/2026/02/chatgpt-ads.html