In a recent episode of Conversations with Tyler, hosted by Tyler Cowen, Sam Altman addressed the possibility of ads appearing on ChatGPT. “I expect it’s something we’ll try at some point,” he said. However, when asked how these ads might look, Altman said, “I have no idea.”

Altman described a careful approach to ads, noting that while the company may explore them, they are not expected to become OpenAI’s primary revenue source. “Again, there’s a kind of ad that I think would be really bad, like the one we talked about. There are kinds of ads that I think would be very good or pretty good to do. I do not think it is our biggest revenue opportunity.”

Altman’s remarks mark a shift from earlier positions, where he ruled out ads on the platform. The company has long said it has no “active plans” to bring ads to ChatGPT, but this latest comment aligns with Altman’s words in July 2025, when he said ads were something the company might explore.

Trust and quality remain a priority

The concern over maintaining user confidence could shape the company’s approach to potential advertising on ChatGPT. In his interview with Cowen, he said OpenAI wants to prioritize monetization methods that do not reduce user trust. 

Altman compared the AI’s monetization model with Google’s advertising approach, noting that Google relies on ads because search results are not always perfect. “Ads on a Google search are dependent on Google doing badly. If it was giving you the best answer, there would be no reason ever to buy an ad above it,” he explained.

Altman said ChatGPT’s value comes from the trust users place in its recommendations. If monetization interferes with that, the platform risks losing the deep trust users have built with it. “If ChatGPT were accepting payment to put a worse hotel above a better hotel, that is probably catastrophic for your relationship with ChatGPT,” he said.

Why OpenAI may consider ads

OpenAI may explore ads as part of broader monetization strategies. Ads could be a way for the AI company to remain competitive and generate revenue, especially as other AI platforms begin offering paid placements. Perplexity AI introduced ads into its AI-generated answers in late 2024, and Google’s Gemini is experimenting with native advertising formats within AI responses.

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