On the OpenAI podcast, OpenAI executive Assad Awan talked about how ads will roll out in ChatGPT, who will see them, and how the company plans to protect user trust.
Who will see ads. Ads will appear for Free and Go tier users.
- Plus, Pro and Enterprise subscribers won’t see ads
- Enterprise workspaces will remain fully ad-free
The guardrails: Awan emphasized that OpenAI is structuring ads around strict trust principles:
- Separation: Ads are visually and technically separate from model answers.
- Privacy: Conversations aren’t shared with advertisers.
- Sensitive topics: Health, politics, and other sensitive chats won’t show ads.
- Controls: Users can adjust or turn off personalization, or upgrade to remove ads.
The model doesn’t know when ads are present and can’t reference them unless a user explicitly asks about one, according to Awan.
Zoom in. OpenAI prioritizes user trust over user value, advertiser value, and revenue — a framework meant to prevent ads from shaping the model’s responses, Awan said.
For small businesses. Awan described a future where AI acts as an advertising agent, helping small businesses run campaigns by describing goals in plain language instead of managing complex dashboards.
Why we care. ChatGPT ads could create a high-intent channel for reaching users during active conversations and decision-making moments. Its focus on relevance, AI-driven matching, and agent-style campaign tools could lower barriers for small and midsize advertisers while improving performance for larger brands. If OpenAI builds a trusted ad environment, it could reshape how advertisers approach discovery and customer engagement in AI-driven interfaces.
What’s next. Early ad tests will stay conservative, prioritizing usefulness and relevance over volume as OpenAI refines formats and placement.
The big picture. Through advertising, OpenAI is aiming to scale ChatGPT access while maintaining a trust-first design — a balance the company says is central to its long-term strategy.
The OpenAI podcast. Episode 13 – The Thinking Behind Ads in ChatGPT
Search Engine Land is owned by Semrush. We remain committed to providing high-quality coverage of marketing topics. Unless otherwise noted, this page’s content was written by either an employee or a paid contractor of Semrush Inc.
