OpenAI is still exploring “ChatGPT ads,” even after earlier signs that the idea of further improving response quality has cooled. According to the information, the company is considering sponsored content that could be prioritized to appear in ChatGPT replies.
This is important for one simple reason: when paid placements appear alongside advice, it can influence what you click and buy. That doesn’t mean there will definitely be advertising either. Companies are constantly testing features, and this is about concepts and models, not about a launch.
OpenAI also confirmed this direction in a statement to The Information, saying that it is “exploring what ads might look like in our product,” while emphasizing that it wants to protect user trust.
Models provide clues about where ads will appear
According to the report, one approach would be for the model to prioritize sponsored content to ensure it appears in replies. Another model described would display sponsored information in a sidebar next to ChatGPT’s main response window.
Sidebar placement is easier to understand at a glance because it looks like advertising space. Sponsored suggestions included in an answer are more difficult because the interface can feel like a single, unified recommendation.
Why the timeline keeps shifting
This story constantly vacillates between “not now” and “still in the mix.” After these advertising-related terms appeared in the Android beta, a later report said OpenAI pushed back on advertising work as leadership focused on quality and pressure from Gemini’s advances weighed over the decision.
Now The Information is once again describing new advertising concepts, suggesting that the idea never died, just lost priority for a while.
What to pay attention to next
As “ChatGPT ads” move beyond prototypes, the first signal will be disclosure: clear sponsored labels, consistent placement across platforms, and settings that explain personalization. The second clue is where paid content is located, whether it stays in a sidebar or flows into the replies.
However, there is no rollout date yet. Until OpenAI releases product details, consider this a test and keep an eye on how it responds to Google’s Gemini push.
