OpenAI announced on Thursday that it will begin displaying advertisements on the free and Go subscription tiers of ChatGPT in India. This decision follows a recent amendment to the company’s terms of service, which indicated the intention to show ads to users while they interact with the AI assistant. OpenAI highlighted that India accounts for a significant portion of its user base, with over 100 million weekly active users, many of whom utilize the free or lower-priced Go tiers.
The company plans to initiate the ad program by featuring advertisements from 50 brands, in collaboration with advertising agencies WPP and Omnicom. Additionally, OpenAI intends to launch an ad manager next month, enabling marketers to create campaigns with a minimum daily budget of ₹725 ($7.60). Dave Dugan, head of global ads solutions at OpenAI, stated that ChatGPT Ads will allow businesses of all sizes to engage with users at pertinent moments when decisions are forming. This move aligns with OpenAI’s broader strategy to diversify and solidify its revenue streams, particularly as the company prepares for a potential IPO in the coming year or the next. Source