OpenAI has officially begun testing ads in ChatGPT and created a blog post that outlines who will see them, who won’t, whether or not they influence answers, and more. These ads could eventually make up a significant portion of OpenAI’s revenue going forward, and this test follows other recent money-making moves the company has made.
OpenAI Begins Testing Ads
OpenAI recently made a blog post that announced that the company has begun testing ads in ChatGPT. This follows the recent announcement of the test from a few weeks ago. The company has said that the goal for ads is to support broader access to more powerful ChatGPT features, while still maintaining the trust that people have in the platform.
The Details of the Test
The post also dove into the details of the test. Specifically, it says that the test is for logged-in adult users who are on the Free and Go subscription tiers. If you’re using Pro, Education, Business, or Enterprise, you won’t see them.
Also, the company has said that the ads do not influence the answers that ChatGPT gives you. Answers are based on what’s most helpful for you, and any ad you see will be clearly labeled and also separated from the answer. OpenAI says that during the test, the company decides which ad to show by matching the ads with the topic of your conversation.
The company also says that these ads are meant to respect your privacy. Advertisers won’t be able to see your chats, chat history, or personal details, as they’re only given information about the performance of their ads in general.
During this test, OpenAI won’t show ads to accounts where the user is (or predicted to be) under 18 years old, and won’t show them near sensitive or regulated topics like mental health, health, or politics.
The company also hopes the ads shown during the test can help people discover relevant and valuable products and services that fit naturally with what they’re trying to do or research.
User Choice and Control
OpenAI also gives you some choices and control over the ads you see. You can dismiss ads, share your feedback about ads, learn why you’re seeing the particular ads you’re being shown, delete your ad data, and even manage your ad personalization.
Also, those in the Free and Go tiers can completely opt out of seeing ads at all, but will get fewer daily free messages as a result.
The Future of Ads in ChatGPT
According to the company, the focus of this test is learning. OpenAI will use early ad performance and feedback to keep improving the relevance of the ads it shows, and work to ensure that ads are useful and fit naturally into the ChatGPT experience.
The post also shared that the company is just beginning to explore how different types of organizations can participate in the overall ChatGPT experience. Over time, the ad program will expand and evolve to support more formats and objectives to allow businesses new ways to interact with consumers on the platform.
However, even as the ads on ChatGPT change and mature over time, the company ensures that all answers will remain independent and unbiased, people maintain control over their experience, and that your conversations remain private.
While it remains to be seen how much OpenAI will earn by implementing ads, it could end up representing a significant portion of the company’s revenue. This move is just the latest that OpenAI is making to monetize the platform, and follows the recent decision to charge Shopify merchants a 4% fee for selling through the company’s Instant Checkout feature.
I believe this is a move the company had to make to start generating more revenue, and it seems they’re implementing it in a way that isn’t overly distracting or annoying to users. I feel that if the ads continue to be relevant, valuable, unobstructive, and relatively “out of the way”, they could be a win-win for both the company and consumers alike.
