In January 2026, **OpenAI has officially announced that it will begin testing in-app advertising in ChatGPT, marking a major shift in its business model. This move comes as the company seeks to diversify its revenue streams beyond paid subscriptions, while continuing to offer free or low-cost access to the world's most widely used generative artificial intelligence.
Why OpenAI is introducing ads in ChatGPT
Since its launch, ChatGPT has attracted hundreds of millions of users, with over 800 million weekly active users, the majority of whom use the free version.
However, the development, training and operation of large-scale AI models require considerable investments in infrastructure, including data centers and computing resources — which, according to estimates, could represent a total budget of more than one trillion dollars by 2030.
Faced with these costs, OpenAI has decided to explore advertising as a new source of revenue, in addition to existing subscriptions (Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise), which will remain ad-free.
How the advertisements will be integrated
Here are the key points of the official plan:
Clearly labeled ads: ads will appear separately from ChatGPT responses, usually below the responses or in a dedicated area, without disrupting the readability of the AI-generated responses.
Initial test in the United States: the deployment will begin with a test phase with American users, including those using the free version and the new low-cost ChatGPT Go offer ($8/month).
No impact on AI responses: OpenAI assures that advertisements will not influence the responses generated by ChatGPT and will not use the content of conversations to target ads.
Respect for privacy: user conversations will not be sold to advertisers, and data used for ad personalization can be deleted or controlled by the user.
Important exclusions: advertisements will not be shown to people under 18, nor on sensitive topics such as health, mental health or politics.
Who will see the ads — and who will remain without them?
The advertising will primarily focus on:
users of the free plan;
ChatGPT Go subscribers, the $8 per month plan which offers a richer interface than the free version but remains less expensive than classic subscriptions.
On the other hand, users of the Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise plans will not see any advertising, leaving the premium experience intact for professionals, businesses and heavy users.
Towards a hybrid economic model
This initiative represents a significant shift for OpenAI, which until now had primarily relied on subscription revenue to finance its growth. The introduction of advertising allows the company to reduce its dependence solely on subscriptions while maintaining free or affordable access to AI.
Analysts say this hybrid model (advertising + subscriptions) could become essential as AI development and operating costs continue to rise, especially with a potential high-profile IPO on the horizon.
Reactions and questions raised
The decision has sparked mixed reactions in the French-speaking and international community:
Trust concerns: Some experts fear that integrating advertisements, even well separated from responses, could erode user trust, especially if AI is used for personal or sensitive topics.
Monetization potential: others see an opportunity for advertisers to reach a massive audience (nearly one billion weekly users) in a new and interactive environment.
Privacy commitment: OpenAI insists that conversation data will not be shared with third parties, and users will have options to manage or disable ad personalization.
What about the French market?
Although the advertising test is initially planned for the United States, future expansion to other countries, including France and Europe, remains likely in the medium term if the test results are conclusive. In a European market particularly sensitive to the protection of personal data and user trust, this initiative will need to be accompanied by additional safeguards to comply with frameworks such as the GDPR and local cultural expectations.
Moreover, the growth of the ChatGPT Go offering, already available in more than 170 countries, shows that OpenAI seeks to make AI accessible to a wide audience, while exploring viable business models to support continuous innovation.
Conclusion
The upcoming introduction of ads in ChatGPT marks a major turning point for OpenAI and the AI ecosystem. This change not only reflects the maturity of the product but also the company's need to find sustainable revenue streams to continue developing increasingly powerful and accessible AI models.
If ads are implemented in a privacy-respecting way, clearly separated from responses and without influencing the generated content, they could become a useful funding tool without compromising the user experience. This will be something to watch in the coming weeks, especially as these tests expand beyond the United States.
