In an effort to lower usage caps for free users and increase access to its AI tools through a low-cost subscription model, OpenAI on Friday revealed intentions to start testing ads on ChatGPT in the US in the upcoming weeks.
After offering the tier in 171 countries since August, the business announced that it is extending ChatGPT Go, which costs $8 per month, to the US and all regions where ChatGPT is present. Expanded messaging, image creation, file uploading, and RAM are all included in the plan. In a statement posted on its website, OpenAI stated, “We’ve been working to make powerful AI accessible to everyone.” Access to cutting-edge AI would determine whether it “expands opportunity or reinforces the same divides.”
Ads will first be tested for logged-in adult users on the free and Go tiers in the US, according to OpenAI. Subscriptions for Pro, Business, and Enterprise will continue to be ad-free. Ads will be added, according to the company, so “more people can benefit from our tools with fewer usage limits or without having to pay.”
In response to worries about trust and influence, OpenAI stated that advertising will not have an impact on ChatGPT’s user response. The business stated that responses would continue to be determined by “what’s objectively useful, never by advertising” and that “ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you.”
Additionally, the business emphasized that it will not share user interactions or data with advertisers. OpenAI stated, “We never sell your data to advertisers, and we keep your conversations with ChatGPT private from advertisers.” Users would also have control over ad personalization and the option to disable it or remove related data.
When a sponsored product or service is relevant to the current discussion, advertisements will show up at the bottom of responses under the original plan. The advertisements would be “clearly labeled and separated from the organic answer,” according to OpenAI, and consumers would be able to reject them or understand why a specific advertisement is displayed.
According to OpenAI, advertisements won’t be displayed to anyone under the age of 18 and won’t show up next to delicate or prohibited subjects like politics, mental health, or health. The company stated that it prioritizes “user trust and user experience over revenue” and that it does not optimize for time spent in ChatGPT.
The business promised to maintain what it called a “high bar” for quality and relevance while improving the way advertisements are shown based on user feedback. In order to eventually make AI technologies available to more people, it further stated that advertising would be a component of a larger income mix along with subscriptions and enterprise products.
