OpenAI is exploring a plan to bring paid advertising into ChatGPT for the first time, according to a new report.
The company is said to be considering ads shaped by the AI chatbot’s memory system, which stores user preferences to deliver personalized replies.
Under the proposal, ChatGPT users could choose whether to keep memory enabled with targeted ads or disable memory and lose personalization. The approach would represent a shift from the current subscription-focused model with ChatGPT Plus and enterprise licensing.
OpenAI could put ads in ChatGPT
According to The Information, focus group feedback showed that some users already assume ads exist in the chatbot, which has helped drive internal support for testing them. The Information also notes that OpenAI now employs around 630 former Meta staff out of its roughly 3,000-person workforce.
OpenAI has even set up a Slack channel specifically for those hires. One of the most notable is Fidji Simo, CEO of Applications at OpenAI, who previously oversaw core advertising features within Facebook. She is reportedly involved in forming a team that would design how ads appear in ChatGPT.
OpenAI leadership has previously taken a cautious stance. In late 2024, CFO Sarah Friar told the Financial Times there were no active plans to launch ads, though the company was reviewing additional ways to support revenue growth.
CEO Sam Altman has shared differing views in interviews. He has said paid products help ensure responses are not influenced by advertisers, but also acknowledged that ads can work in the right context, pointing to Instagram’s ad model as one he finds effective.
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