OpenAI Begins Testing Ads in ChatGPT for U.S. Users on Free and Go Tiers

OpenAI started testing advertisements in ChatGPT on February 9, 2026.

The test applies to logged-in adult users in the United States on the Free tier and the Go subscription plan, which costs 8 dollars per month.

Users on Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education tiers do not see ads in ChatGPT responses.

Advertisements appear at the bottom of responses in ChatGPT when a sponsored product or service matches the topic of the current conversation.

Credit: OpenAI

The ads are clearly labeled as sponsored and appear visually separated from ChatGPT's generated answer.

OpenAI said the ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives.

OpenAI stressed in its announcement that:

"Ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you, and we keep your conversations with ChatGPT private from advertisers."

The company selects ads by matching advertiser submissions to conversation topics, past chats and previous ad interactions.

A user asking about recipes might see promotions for meal kits or grocery delivery services.

When multiple ads qualify, the system shows the most relevant one first.

Advertisers receive only aggregate performance data such as views or clicks and gain no access to user chats, history, memories or personal details. 

OpenAI limits the test to exclude ads in accounts identified as belonging to users under 18 and bars ads near sensitive subjects including health, mental health and politics.

Users on the Free tier can choose to remove ads by accepting fewer daily messages.

Those who want no ads at all can upgrade to an eligible paid plan.

People can dismiss specific ads, submit feedback on them, learn the reason an ad appeared, delete their ad data and adjust personalization settings and even personalize the ads or see the default ads.

Credit: OpenAI

TechCrunch reported the test rollout on the same day as the OpenAI announcement and noted the Go plan had launched globally in mid-January.

Industry publications, including Ad Age said major agencies such as Omnicom Media and Dentsu have already purchased placements, with brands including Target, Adobe, Ford, and Audible participating in the early phase.

OpenAI described the effort as a test phase to gather feedback and refine the format.