OpenAI to show ads in ChatGPT for US adults; data safe today

OpenAI said users should know their data and conversations are protected and not sold to advertisers, adding that controls would allow people to manage their ad experience; the company [said](https://openai.com/index/our-approach-to-advertising-and-expanding-access/), “You need to know that your data and conversations are protected and never sold to advertisers.” It added, “And we need to keep a high bar and give you control over your experience, so you see truly relevant, high-quality ads—and can turn off personalization if you want.”

The ads will be clearly labeled and placed at the bottom of a user’s conversation. OpenAI said it would not detail all data signals it will use for targeting, but users can learn why they saw an ad, dismiss it, and send feedback. The company said ads will be excluded from accounts it believes are for people under 18 and from sensitive or regulated topics.

Paid subscribers on Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise tiers will not see ads. OpenAI said, “To start, we plan to test ads at the bottom of answers in ChatGPT when there’s a relevant sponsored product or service based on your current conversation.”

Sam Altman [noted](https://x.com/sama/status/2012253252771824074) the company will not “accept money” to influence ChatGPT’s responses and added, “It is clear to us that a lot of people want to use a lot of AI and don’t want to pay, so we are hopeful a business model like this can work.” He previously [described](https://youtu.be/FVRHTWWEIz4?si=dqKV61hPg8F1Y7vT&t=2229) ads as a last resort. The move shifts the company beyond subscriptions as it seeks revenue to [sustain](https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/14/openai-has-five-years-to-turn-13-billion-into-1-trillion/) its operations; ChatGPT had about [800 million weekly active users](https://www.axios.com/2025/10/28/openai-1-trillion-altman) as of early October 2025.