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ChatGPT ads

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ChatGPT ads are sponsored placements shown in ChatGPT. OpenAI announced its approach on January 16, 2026 and began testing in the US on February 9, 2026 for logged-in adults on the Free and Go tiers. Ads are labeled as sponsored, shown separately from the answer (initially at the bottom), and OpenAI says “ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you.” Paid ads are therefore separate from organic visibility in answers.

Who sees ads in ChatGPT?

The test covers logged-in adult users in the US on the Free and Go tiers; Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education tiers do not have ads.[1] Ads are not shown to accounts that are or are predicted to be under 18, and are not eligible near sensitive topics like health, mental health or politics.[2]

Where do ChatGPT ads appear?

OpenAI planned to test ads “at the bottom of answers in ChatGPT when there’s a relevant sponsored product or service based on your current conversation,” clearly labeled and separated from the organic answer.[2]

How are ChatGPT ads targeted?

OpenAI says its system considers the context and intent of the current conversation, the ad’s landing page, title and copy, advertiser context hints and targeting selections, and, when ad personalization is on, select signals from the user’s broader ChatGPT use.[3] OpenAI says it keeps conversations private from advertisers and does not sell user data.[3]

Do ads affect organic visibility in ChatGPT?

OpenAI says no: “Ads are separate and clearly labeled” and do not influence answers.[3] Organic inclusion in ChatGPT search depends on OAI-SearchBot access;[4] see ChatGPT SEO.

How do Perplexity ads compare?

Perplexity began experimenting with ads in the US in November 2024, formatted as sponsored follow-up questions and paid media beside an answer. Answers to sponsored questions are generated by Perplexity, not written or edited by brands.[5] See Perplexity.

Frequently asked questions

How do I advertise in ChatGPT?

OpenAI directs interested businesses to openai.com/advertisers to sign up; availability was limited during the test.

Can I opt out of ads as a user?

OpenAI says users can upgrade to an ad-free tier or opt out on the Free tier in exchange for fewer daily messages.

Do ChatGPT ads use my conversations?

For ad selection, yes: the current conversation’s context is a signal. OpenAI says conversations are not shared with advertisers.

References

Sources accessed October 14, 2026 unless another date is given. See all sources.

  1. “Testing ads in ChatGPT”. OpenAI. February 2026.
  2. “Our approach to advertising and expanding access to ChatGPT”. OpenAI. January 16, 2026.
  3. “Ads in ChatGPT”. OpenAI Help Center. accessed October 14, 2026.
  4. “Overview of OpenAI Crawlers”. OpenAI. accessed October 14, 2026.
  5. “Why we’re experimenting with advertising”. Perplexity. November 2024.
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