OpenAI announced on January 16, 2026, that it will begin testing advertisements within ChatGPT in the coming weeks for adult users in the United States. The company also launched its ChatGPT Go subscription tier in the U.S. for $8 per month.
Advertisements will appear in the free version of ChatGPT and the ChatGPT Go tier. The ChatGPT Plus ($20/month), Pro ($200/month), Business, and Enterprise subscription tiers will remain ad-free.
ChatGPT Go includes features beyond the free tier: 10 times more messages, file uploads, and image creation; longer memory and context window; and access to GPT-5.2 Instant. The Go tier was previously available in India and 170 other countries before expanding to the U.S.
Ads will appear at the bottom of ChatGPT responses when there is a relevant sponsored product or service based on the current conversation. OpenAI stated the ads will be clearly labeled as "sponsored" and separated from the organic answer. Users will be able to learn why they are seeing specific ads, dismiss ads, and submit feedback.
OpenAI stated that advertisements will not influence ChatGPT's responses. The company said it will not sell user data or conversations to advertisers. Users can turn off ad personalization based on their conversations.
The company will not show ads to users predicted to be under 18 years old. Ads will not appear near answers about health, mental health, politics, or other sensitive or regulated topics.
OpenAI reported it was on track to generate $20 billion in annualized revenue in 2025. The company has committed to more than $1.4 trillion in infrastructure spending and serves approximately 800 million monthly users.
Subscription tiers:
Free - Ad-supported
ChatGPT Go - $8/month - Ad-supported
ChatGPT Plus - $20/month - Ad-free
ChatGPT Pro - $200/month - Ad-free
ChatGPT Business - Ad-free
ChatGPT Enterprise - Ad-free
Comments