OpenAI on Friday announced it will begin testing ads within ChatGPT in the coming weeks, a highly anticipated decision that could kickstart a lucrative new revenue stream for the artificial intelligence startup.
OpenAI said its Plus, Pro and Enterprise subscriptions will not include ads, but it plans to start testing them with adult free users in the U.S. The company also made its low-cost Go offering available in the U.S. on Friday, and it said users who opt for that plan will also begin to see ads.
The company inked more than $1.4 trillion worth of infrastructure deals in 2025, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in November that the startup was on track to generate $20 billion in annualized revenue run rate last year.
Introducing ads to ChatGPT could help OpenAI meet its ambitious spending commitments, as digital advertising has long been the cash cow for other big tech companies like Google and Meta .