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OpenAI begins limited testing of sponsored content within ChatGPT for US users on its free and low-cost tiers, sparking discussions on the future of AI monetisation and ethical design choices amid rival pushback.
OpenAI has begun testing advertisements in ChatGPT for users on its free and lowest-cost Go tier in the United States, marking a significant shift in how the company plans to monetise its flagship product. According to OpenAI, the trials place clearly labelled sponsored content beneath chatbot responses and are limited initially to a subset of U.S. accounts.
The company says the ads will be contextually relevant to the conversation, so a user discussing meals might see an offer from a grocery delivery service, and that ad placement will not alter the model’s answers or permit direct access to personal conversation data for advertisers. OpenAI has also said it will exclude ads from sensitive topics and from users under 18.
The move has prompted immediate pushback from rivals and raised questions about the role of advertising inside AI assistants. Anthropic has positioned itself in direct contrast by pledging to keep Claude free of advertising, arguing that sponsored messages would undermine the assistant’s role as a space for focused work and reflection. The company reinforced that stance with marketing that mocked the prospect of conversational assistants pivoting into product pitches.
Anthropic has also expanded features available to free users, such as file creation, connectors and “skills”, as part of a strategy to attract those who prefer an ad-free experience, signalling a commercial bet that users will pay or tolerate reduced functionality rather than accept ads. Industry coverage notes the timing of those moves directly followed OpenAI’s announcement.
OpenAI officials emphasise the tests are a measured attempt to balance wider access with commercial sustainability, including the introduction of ChatGPT Go at a modest monthly price point. Observers say the company faces mounting costs to deliver increasingly capable models and that advertising is one route to fund large-scale development while keeping entry-level access broadly available.
Beyond commercial calculations, the dispute has reopened wider debates about design choices for AI systems: whether assistants should remain neutral tools or be monetised through embedded advertising, and how safeguards can prevent the reappearance of engagement-driven harms associated with social media. The contrasting approaches taken by OpenAI and Anthropic offer a clear test case for how the market and regulators might shape the future of conversational AI.
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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 reports on OpenAI’s recent announcement from February 9, 2026, regarding the testing of advertisements in ChatGPT for U.S. users on the Free and Go tiers. This aligns with the latest available information, indicating high freshness.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from OpenAI’s official announcement, such as:
> “Ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you, and we keep your conversations with ChatGPT private from advertisers.” ([openai.com](https://openai.com/index/testing-ads-in-chatgpt/?utm_source=openai))
These quotes are consistent with OpenAI’s published statements. However, the absence of direct attribution to specific OpenAI representatives or third-party confirmations slightly reduces the verification score.
Source reliability
Score:
9
Notes:
The article is sourced from reputable outlets, including TechCrunch and OpenAI’s official blog. These sources are known for their credibility and independence. However, the article’s reliance on a single source for some claims slightly diminishes the overall reliability score.
Plausibility check
Score:
10
Notes:
The claims made in the article are plausible and consistent with OpenAI’s known business strategies and recent developments. The introduction of ads in ChatGPT’s Free and Go tiers aligns with OpenAI’s efforts to monetize its services while maintaining free access.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The article provides accurate and timely information about OpenAI’s testing of advertisements in ChatGPT for U.S. users on the Free and Go tiers. The content is sourced from reputable outlets and aligns with OpenAI’s official statements. Minor concerns include the absence of direct attribution for some quotes and a lack of independent verification from external experts. However, these issues do not significantly impact the overall credibility of the article.
