OpenAI has begun placing sponsored content at the bottom of ChatGPT responses for logged-in adult users on the Free and Go tiers in India, while Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education subscribers stay ad-free.
Read the full story: OpenAI Starts Showing Ads in ChatGPT for Free Users in India →
Transcript
ChatGPT just started showing ads, but only in India, and only if you're on the Free or Go tier. Log in as an adult on either plan and you'll see a sponsored box at the bottom of some answers. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education users stay completely ad-free. Why India, and why now? It's OpenAI's second-largest market, over 100 million weekly users, most of them on the free product generating zero direct revenue. Meanwhile OpenAI's compute costs keep climbing, and this launch is widely read as OpenAI proving out a third revenue stream ahead of a planned IPO. OpenAI says advertisers never see your actual chats, only aggregate numbers like impressions and clicks, and ads are banned near health, mental health, and political topics. More than fifty brands go live this week, and a self-serve ads manager opens to Indian businesses on September 4th. Watch whether this expands to other price-sensitive markets next.