"Eighteen months ago, it was plausible that artificial intelligence might take a different path than social media. Back then, AI's development hadn't consolidated under a small number of big tech firms. Nor had it capitalized on consumer attention, surveilling users and delivering ads. Unfortunately, the AI industry is now taking a page from the social media playbook and has set its sights on monetizing consumer attention."
"When OpenAI launched its ChatGPT Search feature in late 2024 and its browser, ChatGPT Atlas, in October 2025, it kicked off a race to capture online behavioral data to power advertising. It's part of a yearslong turnabout by OpenAI, whose CEO Sam Altman once called the combination of ads and AI "unsettling" and now promises that ads can be deployed in AI apps while preserving trust."
"In 2024, AI search company Perplexity started experimenting with ads in its offerings. A few months after that, Microsoft introduced ads to its Copilot AI. Google's AI Mode for search now increasingly features ads, as does Amazon's Rufus chatbot. OpenAI announced on Jan. 16, 2026, that it will soon begin testing ads in the unpaid version of ChatGPT."
AI development has consolidated under a few large tech firms and is increasingly monetizing consumer attention through ads integrated into AI products. OpenAI's ChatGPT Search and ChatGPT Atlas accelerated a race to capture online behavioral data for advertising purposes. Other firms, including Perplexity, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, have added ads to AI search and chatbot features. OpenAI shifted from opposing ads in AI to testing ads in free ChatGPT. Security and data experts warn this trend enables manipulation of user behavior to benefit advertisers and investors and that time to redirect AI toward public benefit is shrinking.
Read at Inc
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