ChatGPT might be serving you ads soon, leak suggests
In a recent revelation, it appears that OpenAI is preparing to introduce advertisements into the free version of its popular ChatGPT app. Tibor Blaho, an engineer at AIPRM known for uncovering such developments, shared insights from the beta version of the ChatGPT Android app (1.2025.329) on X (formerly Twitter). The coding suggests an “ads feature” that includes terms like “bazaar content,” “search ad,” and “search ads carousel.” This move could mark a significant shift for ChatGPT, which has so far relied on subscription fees for its Pro version and API access as its primary revenue sources.
The potential introduction of ads comes as OpenAI faces financial pressures, with reports indicating that the company may not reach profitability until 2030. According to HSBC, OpenAI needs an additional $207 billion to support its ambitious growth plans. Despite the company previously shying away from integrating ads into its platform, CEO Sam Altman hinted that advertising could be a viable option in the future. He acknowledged that while no advertising products have been implemented yet, the significant user base—approximately 800 million weekly users—makes it an attractive avenue for monetization. Altman also expressed a balanced view on advertising, noting that while he appreciates ads in certain contexts, careful consideration would be necessary to ensure they enhance rather than detract from the user experience.
As the landscape of digital advertising continues to evolve, the prospect of ads in ChatGPT raises questions about user experience and the balance between monetization and maintaining a quality service. The move could align ChatGPT with established platforms like Google, where ads are a familiar part of the user experience. However, as OpenAI navigates this transition, it will be crucial to address user concerns and ensure that the introduction of ads does not compromise the core functionality that has made ChatGPT a go-to tool for millions.
Looks like ads really are coming to
ChatGPT
.
In a
post on X
, Tibor Blaho, an engineer at AIPRM who has
found leaks like these in the past
, showed some coding from the ChatGPT Android app 1.2025.329 beta. It includes “new references to an ‘ads feature’ with ‘bazaar content,’ ‘search ad’ and ‘search ads carousel.'”
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If this comes to fruition, it means the free version of the ChatGPT app is about to get ads. This isn’t new to search functions in general — you’re probably used to seeing ads on Google, for instance.
ChatGPT has been reluctant to put ads on its app, instead opting for a revenue stream tied to subscriptions to its Pro version and access to its API.
However, the company is still not profitable. According to a report from HSBC, OpenAI won’t make money until 2030, and the company needs to find an extra $207 billion to power its growth plans in the meantime,
Forbes reported
.
This shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, said in a podcast over the summer that while the company hasn’t “done any advertising product yet,” that doesn’t mean it’s off the table. After all, roughly
800 million people use ChatGPT every week
; that’s a significant audience to target for advertising.
“I’m not totally against it. I can point to areas where I like ads. I think ads on Instagram, kinda cool. I bought a bunch of stuff from them. But I am, like, I think it’d be very hard to…I mean, take a lot of care to get right,”
Altman said at the time
.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
