ChatGPT could welcome ads soon

To monetize, ChatGPT currently uses two methods: first, the premium function, allowing users and companies who wish to benefit from an improved version of artificial intelligence for a monthly subscription. On the other hand, OpenAI also monetizes its AI through its API, which allows third-party developers to deploy models on their applications. However, many ChatGPT users use it for free today, notably via GPT-4o then GPT-4o mini.

Advertising between two prompts

So to counterbalance the fact that the vast majority of ChatGPT users use it for free, OpenAI is considering a new solution to monetize these uses. And clearly, the company could well make a choice as old as time: that of advertisements. At least that's what we understand by reading an interview given by Sarah Friar, the CFO (chief financial officer) of OpenAI, from the Financial Times.

In this interview, Sarah Friar announces that she and Kevin Weil (CPO – Chief product officer) have experience in advertising, and wish to integrate it into ChatGPT, particularly with free users of the service. Along with Kevin Weil, who was poached from Instagram, OpenAI also hired Shivakumar Venkataraman, who was previously part of Google Search's advertising team. So, the stars are aligning, and according to an anonymous source who spoke to the Financial Times, OpenAI boss Sam Altman is already starting to think about implementing ads on ChatGPT. So, if the advertisements should arrive one day or another in ChatGPT, it will not necessarily be right away: according to Sarah Friar, the advertisements will not be broadcast right away because there are still other opportunities to make money, but the company would eventually have to comply.