OpenAI introduces ads in ChatGPT

OpenAI has confirmed that advertising will begin appearing in ChatGPT in the US for free and Go tiers “over the coming weeks”, while paid plans such as Pro, Business and Enterprise will remain ad-free.

The change converts what many treated as a laboratory for organic visibility into a commercial marketplace, complete with pricing, targeting and measurement, and raises questions about whether ads can coexist with the trust users place in conversational AI.

OpenAI said ads will be “clearly labeled and separated from the organic answer”, users will be able to control how many they see, and placements will be blocked for users under 18 and for sensitive or regulated topics including health, mental health and politics.

For marketers, the announcement confirms a transition that has been building for months. “Our approach to paid ads will be informed by our GEO expertise, which we already apply to help clients structure content that is clear, authoritative and machine-readable, so AI systems can accurately understand brands and surface them in relevant conversation,” Paula Hijosa, AI and performance lead at Space & Time, told Digiday.

Agency strategists describe an emerging competition between organic LLM visibility and paid exposure. “ChatGPT Ads will reward brands that already have strong AI trust, category authority and AI-ready narratives,” said Chris Pearse, managing director of Greenpark. “Just like SEO and PPC work well together when considered holistically, the duality of organic LLM visibility and paid ads will have to be planned and executed as one harmonious approach.”

OpenAI has framed the rollout as cautious, arguing that conversational interfaces allow ads to go beyond static messages and links. In its view, users can see an ad and immediately ask a follow-up question needed to make a purchase without leaving the chat, blending advertising, transactions and service delivery.

As ads roll into ChatGPT, the experiment will test whether conversational advertising can become a helpful layer of discovery and commerce, or whether it will undermine the adviser role that made chat-based AI compelling in the first place.

Source: Noah Wire Services

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score:
10

Notes:
The article is current, published on January 20, 2026, and discusses OpenAI’s recent announcement regarding ChatGPT ads, aligning with other recent reports on the same topic.

Quotes check

Score:
8

Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from industry experts such as Paula Hijosa and Isabel Perry. While these quotes are consistent with other sources, their earliest known usage cannot be independently verified, raising concerns about potential reuse or lack of originality.

Source reliability

Score:
7

Notes:
Digiday is a reputable publication within the marketing and media industry. However, it is not as widely recognised as major news organisations like the BBC or Reuters, which may affect the perceived reliability of the information presented.

Plausability check

Score:
9

Notes:
The claims about OpenAI introducing ads into ChatGPT are plausible and consistent with recent announcements from OpenAI. However, the article’s focus on industry reactions and future implications introduces a level of speculation that cannot be independently verified.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary:
The article provides current and relevant information on OpenAI’s plans to introduce ads into ChatGPT, supported by quotes from industry experts and consistent with other recent reports. However, the inability to independently verify the earliest usage of some quotes and the reliance on a less widely recognised source like Digiday introduce uncertainties that reduce the overall confidence in the content’s reliability.