OpenAI is testing ad features inside the ChatGPT Android app, signalling a shift toward new revenue streams as the company struggles to offset massive AI infrastructure costs.
OpenAI appears to be preparing the first wave of advertisements for ChatGPT, marking a major shift for a platform that has been ad-free since its 2022 debut.
Newly uncovered code inside a beta version of the ChatGPT Android app points to built-in support for ads and shopping features—an unmistakable signal that the company is exploring new revenue streams.
The discovery came from computer engineer Tibor Blaho, who spotted references to an “ads feature,” including terms like “bazaar content,” “search ad,” and “search ads carousel.”
While OpenAI hasn’t publicly confirmed the change, the code suggests internal testing is underway.
It’s a notable pivot for CEO Sam Altman, who once described ads in ChatGPT as a “last resort.”
His tone has softened recently; on the company’s podcast earlier this year, Altman said he wasn’t opposed to ads entirely, pointing to Instagram as an example of advertising done well.
The timing isn’t accidental. Despite expecting $13 billion in sales in 2025, OpenAI remains far from profitability.
Massive investment in chips, data centres and cloud infrastructure – much of it tied to deals with Microsoft and Amazon, reportedly totalling nearly $300 billion – continues to outpace revenue.
HSBC analysts predict OpenAI may still be unprofitable by 2030, even with a surge in premium ChatGPT subscriptions.
Introducing ads could help fill that gap, and with the enormous volume of conversational data generated by ChatGPT users, such ads could become extremely targeted – and lucrative.
OpenAI experiments with in-app ads
