OpenAI will reportedly start testing ads in ChatGPT today

The ads will appear in a separate area beneath your chat.

by Emma Roth

Feb 9, 2026, 2:45 PM UTC

Image: The Verge

Emma Roth is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.

OpenAI plans to start testing ads in ChatGPT today, according to a report from CNBC. The “clearly labeled” ads will appear in a separate area beneath your chat, OpenAI announced last month.

A source close to the situation tells CNBC that OpenAI “expects ads to make up less than half of its revenue long term.” Last week, Anthropic showed off a Super Bowl commercial poking fun at OpenAI, saying “ads are coming to AI,” but not to its AI chatbot Claude. The version of the ad that aired during the game was a little less direct after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called the campaign “clearly dishonest.”

OpenAI will show ads to logged-in users who use the app for free or subscribe to its cheaper Go subscription. The company says it will “keep your conversations with ChatGPT private from advertisers,” but notes that the ads will still be “optimized based on what’s most helpful to you.” Advertisers won’t have an impact on ChatGPT’s answers, according to OpenAI.

In an internal memo seen by CNBC, Altman tells employees that OpenAI plans to launch an updated chat model this week, coming just days after the company released a more advanced version of its AI coding agent, Codex. Altman also reportedly said that ChatGPT is “back to exceeding 10% monthly growth.” OpenAI last reported having 800 million weekly users last October.

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