OpenAI has begun displaying advertisements within ChatGPT to users on its Free and Go subscription tiers in the United States, the company announced yesterday. The move, intended to support the continued operation and development of the widely used artificial intelligence chatbot, marks a significant shift for the platform.
According to OpenAI, the advertisements will be visible only to logged-in adult users and will be carefully curated to avoid sensitive categories such as health, mental health, and politics. The company emphasized that the ads are designed not to interfere with ChatGPT’s responses and will be clearly distinguishable from the chatbot’s generated text.
“ChatGPT is used by hundreds of millions of people for learning, perform, and everyday decisions,” OpenAI stated. “Keeping the Free and Go tiers fast and reliable requires significant infrastructure and ongoing investment. Ads support fund that work, supporting broader access to AI through higher quality free and low cost options, and enabling us to keep improving the intelligence and capabilities we offer over time.”
Users of the Free and Go tiers have some control over the advertising experience. They can opt to see ads tailored to their interests based on their chat history, or they can delete their ad data entirely. Free users also have the option to hide all advertisements in exchange for a reduced number of daily messages. OpenAI has assured users that advertisers will not have access to personal details or conversation content, receiving only aggregated data such as ad views and clicks.
This initial rollout is described as a “test” to refine the integration of advertising into ChatGPT, with plans to introduce new ad formats for businesses in the future. However, users on ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education plans will continue to enjoy an ad-free experience.
The announcement comes after a recent partnership between OpenAI and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to provide ChatGPT Enterprise to the entire federal executive branch workforce. Announced in August 2025, the agreement offers ChatGPT at a deeply discounted rate of $1 per agency, supporting the White House’s America’s AI Action Plan and aiming to modernize government operations, according to the GSA. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated at the time, “One of the best ways to make sure AI works for everyone is to put it in the hands of the people serving our country.”
The GSA partnership followed months of engagement between OpenAI executives and government agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, to promote the company’s AI tools. The move reflects a broader effort by the Trump administration to adopt AI technology across the federal government, with GSA Acting Administrator Michael Rigas stating that the government’s effective use of AI is “critical to demonstrating we are the world’s AI leader.”
