Well, it’s been a long and sweet ride… but we might need to say goodbye to the era of truly “free” responses.
Prompt: “Hey GPT, can you provide me with an anti-depression skin routine?”
Response: “I hope you’re doing well, but here’s a four-step routine with my top product recommendations below…”
This is potentially what it could look like when ads begin blending into ChatGPT responses.
There has always been speculation about the return of ads, but a leak from Reddit has now all but confirmed it.
According to the post, OpenAI is building an ad network inside GPT.
The code featuring search ads.
Tibor Blaho, Lead Engineer at AIPRMcorp, appeared to verify the rumour after discovering references to “Search Ads”, ad-targeting hooks, and ad system strings inside the latest ChatGPT Android beta (v1.2025.329).
But, what does Sam Altman think?
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has addressed the potential tie-up between AI and advertising on multiple occasions. In a fireside interview at Harvard University, he offered an unusually personal take:
“I will disclose, as a personal bias, that I hate ads,” Altman said.
Despite that bias, he clarified that OpenAI is not completely against the idea – but sees advertising as a “last resort.”
When asked whether OpenAI would consider selling API access for advertisers to connect ads directly, Altman replied: “That’s fine.”
He revisited the topic in the first OpenAI podcast, saying the company wants to retain user trust but has not yet found the right path to embed ads responsibly.
One potential option discussed was monetising the free model to offset operating costs, offering ads as a paid opt-out rather than a default.
This could unfold in a few directions, as pressure continues to grow with competitor Gemini’s new Nano Banana model surging in demand.