OpenAI starts testing ads in ChatGPT for some U.S.-based users

OpenAI announced that it has started testing the deployment of ads in its ChatGPT chatbot for some users based in the U.S, highlighting that they would not be embedded in chatbot responses.

“We’re starting to roll out a test for ads in ChatGPT today to a subset of free and Go users in the U.S. Ads do not influence ChatGPT’s answers. Ads are labeled as sponsored and visually separate from the response. Our goal is to give everyone access to ChatGPT for free with fewer limits, while protecting the trust they place in it for important and personal tasks,” posted OpenAI on the Elon Musk-owned X on Tuesday (February 10, 2026).

OpenAI’s decision to bring ads to ChatGPT has attracted both positive and negative attention across the industry, as AI giants race to bring onboard as many users as they can by offering free perks, even while chasing profits. OpenAI in a blog post claimed that its test ads would not impact ChatGPT’s answers, reduce user privacy, or appear in accounts that may be used by minors.

According to a mock-up shared by OpenAI, a user asking ChatGPT about recipes might see ads for meal kits or grocery delivery, since OpenAI will match ads to users’ conversations. The ChatGPT-maker added that users could control the ads they see in ChatGPT, dismiss them, share feedback, learn about why they were shown a certain ad, delete their ad data, or manage ad personalisation.

“If you prefer not to see ads, you can upgrade to our Plus or Pro plans, or opt out of ads in the Free tier in exchange for fewer daily free messages,” stated the company in a blog post.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman last week shared a long, emotional post defending the company’s approach after rival AI firm Anthropic released multiple ads that appeared to take aim at OpenAI’s decision to bring ads to ChatGPT.

Titled “Betrayal,” “Violation,” “Deception,” and “Treachery” respectively, the four one-minute-long ads by Anthropic featured a person asking a professional for guidance, and getting a visibly AI chatbot-style response in return. Suddenly, the professional advertises a product or service during an inappropriate moment in the conversation, leaving the asker confused and disturbed.

For example, a man asking his human “chatbot” for tips to connect with his mother is informed that he can instead connect with older single women via a mature dating platform. Frustrated, he throws his phone aside.

In a blog post, Anthropic promised that its Claude offering would remain ad-free and the company opposed the insertion of ads into users’ private and sensitive communications with chatbots.

“We want Claude to act unambiguously in our users’ interests. So we’ve made a choice: Claude will remain ad-free. Our users won’t see “sponsored” links adjacent to their conversations with Claude; nor will Claude’s responses be influenced by advertisers or include third-party product placements our users did not ask for,” said Anthropic in a company blog post on February 4, titled ‘Claude is a space to think.’

However, Mr. Altman was upset by what many interpreted as a jab against OpenAI’s decision to test ads in ChatGPT’s free version.

A day later, he commented that Anthropic’s ads were “funny” but called the strategy “so clearly dishonest,” as he stressed that OpenAI would never run ads in the way depicted in the satirical ads. He also stressed that ChatGPT had a greater number of users, noting that more Texans used ChatGPT for free than people using Anthropic’s Claude across the U.S.

“Ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you. Answers are optimized based on what’s most helpful to you. When you see an ad, they are always clearly labeled as sponsored and visually separated from the organic answer,” stated OpenAI in its post about ChatGPT test ads this week.

Published – February 10, 2026 05:07 pm IST