"The days of ad-free ChatGPT might soon be over, as it appears OpenAI is inching closer toward including advertisements in its popular AI model. Diving into the code of a recent beta version of the ChatGPT app for Android (version 1.2025.32), a user spotted language that seems to indicate ads might be on the way. In several strings of code that reference "openai.feature.ads," verbiage like "search ad," "search ads carousel," and "ad target" appears."
"In the first episode of the OpenAI podcast earlier this year, company CEO Sam Altman expressed his thoughts on incorporating advertisements into his product. "I'm not totally against it," he said, adding, "I can point to areas where I like ads." He went on to explain that he thinks Instagram advertisements are "kinda cool," but admitted that they're difficult to get right."
Code in a beta Android build (version 1.2025.32) contains strings referencing "openai.feature.ads" and terms such as "search ad," "search ads carousel," and "ad target." OpenAI has not officially commented on the inclusion of advertisements. CEO Sam Altman has said he is "not totally against" ads and cited Instagram ads as examples he sometimes likes while acknowledging difficulty getting ads right. Altman previously called ads something he "hated" and a "last resort." Ziff Davis filed an April 2025 lawsuit alleging OpenAI infringed copyrights, and OpenAI reported $4.3 billion revenue in H1 2025 but a $13.5 billion net loss.
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