ChatGPT now shows ads to some users, and Amazon is helping advertisers reach them. Learn who sees ads, how they are chosen and which settings you can change.
ChatGPT Now Has Ads: Here’s How They Work and What You Can Control
If you use ChatGPT, you might see something new: ads. Advertising is now part of the world’s most famous AI chatbot. Here is an easy guide to how it works.
Who Sees the Ads?
eMarketer reported that ads show up for adult users on ChatGPT’s free plan and its $8-per-month Go plan. The higher plans, including Plus, Pro, Enterprise and Education, stay ad-free. The same report says ads do not appear for people under 18 or next to sensitive topics like health, mental health or politics.
How Are the Ads Chosen?
This part is different from ads you may have seen before. eMarketer says the targeting uses the topics in your conversation, your earlier chats and how you have reacted to ads. OpenAI says advertisers do not see your conversations or personal details. An ad appears as a labeled box below the chatbot’s answer, not inside it.
Do Ads Change the Answers?
OpenAI says no. According to AI Weekly, the company’s position is that “ads do not influence ChatGPT’s answers.” That is OpenAI’s promise, so it is still smart to double-check anything important.
How Is Amazon Involved?
Adweek reported that Amazon Ads and OpenAI have teamed up. Advertisers can reach ChatGPT users through Amazon’s ad system. The team-up is a pilot, or early test, with advertisers in the United States. Adweek also says OpenAI expects its ad business to pass $1 billion over the next 12 months, and a research firm saw the number of ads shown per user climb 163 percent between April and August.
What Can You Control?
According to eMarketer, you can turn off ad personalization, dismiss an ad or delete data tied to ads. Free users can also opt out of ads entirely, but they get fewer daily messages in return. Look in your ChatGPT settings to see these choices.
Why Does It Matter?
Making and running AI is very expensive. Ads are one way companies pay for it. As more AI apps add ads, it helps to know who sees them, what information is used and how to switch things off.
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