OpenAI weighs getting Roku-ized with advertising as ChatGPT costs rise

OpenAI’s ChatGPT head Nick Turley has acknowledged that the company might introduce advertising to its products in the future, though he emphasized any ads would need to be “thoughtful and tasteful.” While Turley suggested ChatGPT itself might remain ad-free due to its core mission of providing unbiased answers, he didn’t rule out advertising entirely, particularly for other OpenAI products targeting markets where users aren’t willing to pay for premium features.

What they’re saying: Turley took a diplomatic approach when pressed about ChatGPT’s advertising future during an interview with The Verge.

• “Maybe there is a certain market where people aren’t willing to pay us, yet we want to offer the best, latest, and greatest. Maybe that would be a place to consider other indirect forms of monetization,” he explained.
• “I’m humble enough not to rule it out categorically, but we’d have to be very thoughtful and tasteful about it.”

The big picture: OpenAI appears to be weighing advertising as a potential revenue stream while trying to preserve ChatGPT’s core value proposition of delivering unbiased responses.

• Turley emphasized that ChatGPT’s “magic” comes from providing “the best answer for you, and there’s no other stakeholder in the middle.”
• He suggested that if ads do appear, they’re more likely to be implemented in other OpenAI products rather than ChatGPT, which serves over 700 million weekly users.

Why this matters: The conversation highlights the ongoing tension between keeping AI tools accessible and generating sustainable revenue as development costs soar.

• OpenAI recently launched ChatGPT Pro at $200 per month, significantly expanding its subscription tiers beyond the $20 monthly ChatGPT Plus plan.
• The company’s approach to monetization could influence how other AI companies balance free access with premium features.

Key concerns: The discussion raises questions about AI accessibility as premium features become increasingly locked behind expensive subscriptions.

• New features like Gmail connectivity are being restricted to the expensive ChatGPT Pro tier, potentially limiting access to advanced AI capabilities.
• This trend mirrors other tech companies like Google, which initially offered premium AI features free with Pixel smartphones before transitioning to paid subscriptions.