ChatGPT will introduce advertising in the future—what does this mean for users?

OpenAI, the developer behind the AI chatbot ChatGPT, plans to display ads directly in ChatGPT conversations in the future. Until now, the service has been financed primarily through subscriptions such as Plus or Go and paid enterprise solutions, but rising operating costs have apparently prompted the company to change its strategy. After months of speculation and testing, the plan is now about to be launched, initially in the US and later probably worldwide. Millions of users will be affected, including many in Germany.

What advertising in chat will look like

According to Open AI’s current plans, advertisements will be displayed at the bottom of chat responses if there are products or services relevant to the topic in question. OpenAI emphasizes that these ads will be clearly separated from regular responses and clearly marked as advertising. Users can also turn off personalization or delete data used for advertising.

What does this mean for users?

In Germany, around 23 million people could be affected by the new advertising introduction – primarily users of the free version of ChatGPT. Only a relatively small proportion of German users currently pay for a subscription, which is why this step will confront many users with advertising in AI conversations for the first time. OpenAI promises not to share conversation content with advertisers or sell any data – so conversations will remain private. Ads will also not appear in sensitive conversations, such as those about health or politics.

While OpenAI sees advertising revenue as an important step in financing its free service, experts warn of potential risks, such as the blurring of the line between neutral AI responses and advertising.

Expensive advertising environment for companies

For advertisers themselves, the new channel poses particular challenges: According to industry reports, ads on ChatGPT are said to be significantly more expensive than traditional ad formats, at around $60 per 1,000 views—compared to significantly lower prices on social platforms. In addition, only a limited set of performance data will be provided for campaign evaluations initially.

Which subscription model is right for you?

If you want to avoid advertising, it’s worth switching to a Plus subscription or higher. These not only offer ad-free chatting, but also significantly expanded features, capacities, and more stable access compared to the free or cheaper models.