OpenAI Begins Testing Ads in ChatGPT for Free and Go Users

February 09, 2026
OpenAI has started testing advertisements in ChatGPT for users on its Free and Go subscription tiers in the U.S. The company says ads will not influence chatbot responses and will be clearly marked as sponsored content.

OpenAI has begun testing advertisements in ChatGPT for logged-in adult users in the U.S. on its Free and Go subscription tiers, according to a company announcement. Users on paid plans such as Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education will not see ads.

The company said ads will not affect ChatGPT’s answers and will be clearly labeled as sponsored. Advertisers will not have access to user conversations or personal data, only aggregated performance metrics like views and clicks. Ads will be matched to conversation topics, such as showing grocery delivery promotions during recipe discussions.

Users can dismiss ads, manage personalization settings, and delete ad interaction data at any time. Ads will not appear for users under 18 or near sensitive topics like health or politics. OpenAI described the test as an initial step to refine the ad experience and ensure it fits naturally into ChatGPT’s interface.

The rollout follows a series of Super Bowl commercials from Anthropic that mocked AI chatbots with ads, prompting public comments from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman defending the company’s approach.

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