Accordingly, in beta version 1.2025.329, lines of code containing the phrases "ads feature", "search ad" and "bazaar content" were discovered. This is an internal test that has not been widely released, but it is enough to suggest that OpenAI is preparing to open the ad door to ChatGPT.
The leak comes shortly after a previous report saying OpenAI was considering inserting ads based on chatt history or user memory data.
Previously, CEO Sam altman has repeatedly mentioned the ability to combine AI and advertising but always used cautious language. In his speech last year, he called adding advertising to ChatGPT partly annoying and only saw it as a last resort to the business model, although he not completely opposed.
In the first episode of OpenAI's podcast a few months later, altman continued to affirm that the company was not against advertising, but still "had not found a suitable way".
The newly discovered lines of code do not reveal the location of the ad, but it is likely that OpenAI is considering applying them to free accounts, which are limited in the number of messages, storage capacity and reasoning power.
The addition of advertising to ChatGPT, if a reality, will mark an important shift in OpenAI's profitable strategy as the AI platform continues to expand its global user base.
