On January 16, 2026, OpenAI announced it would begin testing advertisements in ChatGPT for free and Go tier users in the United States. This marks a significant pivot for a company whose CEO once called the idea of combining ads with AI “uniquely unsettling.”
As Simo wrote: “People trust ChatGPT for many important and personal tasks, so as we introduce ads, it’s crucial we preserve what makes ChatGPT valuable in the first place.”
Why Now?
The timing is driven by financial necessity, not strategic preference. OpenAI’s projections show:
The “new products including free user monetization” category—which includes advertising—doesn’t become material in OpenAI’s projections until 2027-2028. But with massive compute costs and agent revenue projections cut by half, advertising is no longer optional.
The Broader Context
This announcement comes as part of a larger protocol war between Google and OpenAI over who will control AI-mediated commerce. Google’s approach embeds advertising directly into commerce protocols. OpenAI is attempting to keep ads separate from its core experience—but the financial pressure is real.
Gennaro is the creator of FourWeekMBA, which reached about four million business people, comprising C-level executives, investors, analysts, product managers, and aspiring digital entrepreneurs in 2022 alone | He is also Director of Sales for a high-tech scaleup in the AI Industry | In 2012, Gennaro earned an International MBA with emphasis on Corporate Finance and Business Strategy.
