OpenAI plans to introduce advertisements for users of the free and Go versions of ChatGPT in the United States in the coming weeks, as the company explores new revenue streams.
The move, first reported by The Information and confirmed to Reuters by an OpenAI spokesperson, marks a significant shift in the company’s monetisation strategy.
As part of the rollout, OpenAI has partnered with Criteo, an advertising technology firm that provides tools for ad placement and targeting. The integration forms part of an ongoing advertising pilot targeting free-tier users.
According to reports, Criteo has been pitching advertisers on campaigns ranging between $50,000 and $100,000, while OpenAI has advised brands to supply multiple variations of ad content to improve performance and visibility.
The introduction of ads comes as OpenAI seeks to diversify its revenue amid rising infrastructure costs and intensifying competition in the generative AI market.
The company has seen rapid growth in ChatGPT usage, increasing pressure to sustain operations and expand its business model beyond subscriptions and enterprise offerings.
