4:15 pm - January 22, 2026
- OpenAI confirms ads will appear in free ChatGPT tiers soon, with paid tiers remaining ad-free
- Ads will be clearly labelled, adjustable, and excluded for users under 18 and sensitive topics
- Industry experts warn of balancing commercial interests with user trust in conversational AI
OpenAI has confirmed that advertising will begin appearing in ChatGPT in the US for free and Go tiers “over the coming weeks”, while paid plans such as Pro, Business and Enterprise will remain ad-free.
The change converts what many treated as a laboratory for organic visibility into a commercial marketplace, complete with pricing, targeting and measurement, and raises questions about whether ads can coexist with the trust users place in conversational AI.
OpenAI said ads will be “clearly labeled and separated from the organic answer”, users will be able to control how many they see, and placements will be blocked for users under 18 and for sensitive or regulated topics including health, mental health and politics.
For marketers, the announcement confirms a transition that has been building for months. “Our approach to paid ads will be informed by our GEO expertise, which we already apply to help clients structure content that is clear, authoritative and machine-readable, so AI systems can accurately understand brands and surface them in relevant conversation,” Paula Hijosa, AI and performance lead at Space & Time, told Digiday.
Agency strategists describe an emerging competition between organic LLM visibility and paid exposure. “ChatGPT Ads will reward brands that already have strong AI trust, category authority and AI-ready narratives,” said Chris Pearse, managing director of Greenpark. “Just like SEO and PPC work well together when considered holistically, the duality of organic LLM visibility and paid ads will have to be planned and executed as one harmonious approach.”
OpenAI has framed the rollout as cautious, arguing that conversational interfaces allow ads to go beyond static messages and links. In its view, users can see an ad and immediately ask a follow-up question needed to make a purchase without leaving the chat, blending advertising, transactions and service delivery.
As ads roll into ChatGPT, the experiment will test whether conversational advertising can become a helpful layer of discovery and commerce, or whether it will undermine the adviser role that made chat-based AI compelling in the first place.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://digiday.com/marketing/as-openai-gears-up-to-launch-chatgpt-ads-marketers-try-to-keep-up/?utm_campaign=digidaydis&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=general-rss – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://openai.com/index/our-approach-to-advertising-and-expanding-access/ – OpenAI has announced plans to introduce advertising in ChatGPT for the free and Go tiers in the U.S. over the coming weeks. This initiative aims to provide more users with access to ChatGPT’s features, including messaging, image creation, file uploads, and memory, while maintaining ad-free experiences for Pro, Business, and Enterprise subscribers. The company emphasizes that ads will be clearly labeled and separated from organic responses, with users having the option to adjust their preferences regarding ad visibility. Additionally, ads will not be shown to users under 18 and will be excluded from sensitive topics such as health, mental health, or politics.
- https://winbuzzer.com/2025/12/07/openai-denies-live-ad-tests-in-chats-as-target-prompts-spark-confusion-xcxwbn/ – OpenAI has denied running live ad tests on ChatGPT, attributing viral screenshots of ‘Target’ promotions to new agentic commerce features. The company clarified that these were not traditional ads but part of a feature allowing users to make purchases directly within the chat interface. This approach contrasts with competitors like Google and Meta, who are actively inserting ads into AI results to offset high inference costs. OpenAI’s clarification highlights the evolving nature of AI monetization strategies and the importance of user trust in these developments.
- https://openaimpact.com/news/openais-head-of-chatgpt-says-posts-appearing-to-show-in-app-ads-are-not-real-or-not-ads-2/ – OpenAI’s head of ChatGPT, Nick Turley, addressed user concerns over posts appearing to show in-app ads, stating that these were either not real or not ads. The company refuted rumors of live advertising within ChatGPT, pledging a cautious approach to any future monetisation. This incident highlights the delicate balance AI companies must strike between innovation, user trust, and the pressure to generate revenue, as users expressed frustration over what they perceived as infomercials for retailers such as Peloton and Target.
- https://www.aol.com/articles/chatgpt-users-rage-ads-openai-194458559.html – ChatGPT users have expressed frustration over what appeared to be advertisements in their conversations, with OpenAI disputing that these messages were ads. Users, including those paying for Pro subscriptions, reported seeing suggestions for apps or stores that felt like advertisements. OpenAI clarified that these were not ads but rather suggestions to install apps, acknowledging that the lack of relevancy made it a bad and confusing experience. The company is iterating on the suggestions and user experience to improve the service.
- https://searchengineland.com/openai-insists-chatgpt-ads-werent-ads-465781 – OpenAI has reassured users that the promotional-style prompts appearing in ChatGPT were not advertisements. The company clarified that these prompts were recommendations for apps built on the ChatGPT platform, with no financial component. Users had expressed concern over these prompts, interpreting them as ads, but OpenAI emphasized that they were not ads and that the company is working to improve the user experience.
- https://genfirst.ai/what-chatgpt-advertising-pivot-means-for-marketers/ – OpenAI is shifting its stance on ChatGPT advertising, moving from viewing ads as a ‘last resort’ to actively developing ad products. The company aims to generate $1 billion in ad revenue by 2026, with projections reaching $25 billion by 2029. OpenAI is building tools for campaign management and real-time attribution, and marketers are advised to optimise for AI discovery, as traditional interruption-based advertising is being replaced by AI recommendation engines.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The article is current, published on January 20, 2026, and discusses OpenAI’s recent announcement regarding ChatGPT ads, aligning with other recent reports on the same topic.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from industry experts such as Paula Hijosa and Isabel Perry. While these quotes are consistent with other sources, their earliest known usage cannot be independently verified, raising concerns about potential reuse or lack of originality.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
Digiday is a reputable publication within the marketing and media industry. However, it is not as widely recognised as major news organisations like the BBC or Reuters, which may affect the perceived reliability of the information presented.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about OpenAI introducing ads into ChatGPT are plausible and consistent with recent announcements from OpenAI. However, the article’s focus on industry reactions and future implications introduces a level of speculation that cannot be independently verified.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article provides current and relevant information on OpenAI’s plans to introduce ads into ChatGPT, supported by quotes from industry experts and consistent with other recent reports. However, the inability to independently verify the earliest usage of some quotes and the reliance on a less widely recognised source like Digiday introduce uncertainties that reduce the overall confidence in the content’s reliability.
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