ChatGPT Ad Testing Begins — OpenAI Official Announcement Key Takeaways
- Ad testing for US Free·Go tiers starts February 9, 2026
- No ads for paid subscribers (Plus, Pro, etc.)
- Ads will not affect ChatGPT responses
OpenAI’s Announced Ad Policy
OpenAI announced that it will be testing ads in ChatGPT starting February 9, 2026.[OpenAI] The target audience is adult Free·Go tier users in the United States. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education subscribers will not see ads.[CBS News]
Ads will appear in a separate section at the bottom of the response. Relevant ads will be matched based on the conversation topic and chat history.[NBC News]
Privacy and User Choice
OpenAI has promised not to share conversations with advertisers. CEO Sam Altman stated that they will not change answers in exchange for advertising revenue.[NBC News] Ads will be blocked for accounts of users under 18 and on sensitive topics such as health and politics.
Free users can opt out of ads, but their daily message count will be reduced. To eliminate ads, users can switch to a paid subscription.[CBS News]
AI Chatbot Monetization Competition Intensifies
Google’s potential introduction of ads to Gemini was also reported, but the CEO denied it. Anthropic rejected ads and criticized competitors.[NBC News] OpenAI’s strategy is to expand AI accessibility by monetizing the free tier.[The AI Insider]
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Who will see ChatGPT ads?
A: Ads will only be displayed to adult Free·Go tier users in the United States. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education subscribers will not see ads. Ads will also be blocked for accounts of users under 18 and in conversations on sensitive topics such as health and politics.
Q: Can I turn off ChatGPT ads?
A: Free users can opt out, but their daily message count will be reduced. Options for managing personalization settings will also be provided. To completely eliminate ads, you can switch to a Plus or Pro paid subscription.
Q: Will ads affect the quality of ChatGPT responses?
A: OpenAI has promised that ads will not affect responses. CEO Altman also stated that they will not change answers in exchange for advertising revenue. Ads are displayed separately at the bottom of the response, and conversation content is not shared with advertisers.
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References
- Testing ads in ChatGPT – OpenAI (2026-02-09)
- OpenAI starts testing ads in ChatGPT – NBC News (2026-02-10)
- OpenAI starts testing ads in free version of ChatGPT – CBS News (2026-02-10)
- OpenAI Begins Testing Ads in ChatGPT for Free and Go Users – The AI Insider (2026-02-10)