OpenAI appears to be testing ads within ChatGPT, chatbot users discovered in the platform’s Android beta app code.
A user found phrases related to an “ads feature” in the code for ChatGPT Android app beta. This included phrases like “ad target,” “search ad,” and “search ads carousel.” The user, software engineer Tibor Blaho, shared these findings on X.
Another X user, Yuchen Jin, reported already seeing ads on ChatGPT. Jin, posted an image of a ChatGPT query page where at the bottom there was a pop-up to “Find a fitness class” with fitness company Peloton.
Jin outlined the ad was unrelated to the user’s discussion with ChatGPT.
A Long-Anticipated Feature
Since its launch in 2022, ChatGPT has not integrated ads into its interface or as part of its business model, primarily making money through subscription sales. The company’s CEO Sam Altman described ads as a “last resort” – yet the possibility of ads and recent integration of PayPal signal a move towards AI-powered ads and checkout functionality within the platform.
Competitors like Google have also recently began inputting ads into AI Mode, its AI-powered search feature.
OpenAI’s widely-used chatbot has lately been upgraded with new e-commerce abilities. The tech company released Shopping Research, a tool which helps users find more personalised product recommendations ahead of the holiday shopping season.
The tool helps users with tasks such as comparing prices and finding specific gifts, drawing from internet reviews and even past conversations with the chatbot.
Holiday Shopping with AI
The company also announced a collaboration with financial technology company PayPal to enable agentic shopping and instant checkout in ChatGPT. Perplexity introduced a near identical feature in its own AI answer engine – an ‘instant buy’ feature where products can be bought directly from the AI platform.
AI companies are gearing up for the shopping season with these new features, as artificial intelligence optimisation (AIO) becomes a major focus for brands. With more people using chatbots for uses like product recommendations, more brands are looking for ways to remain visible in AI responses, no longer just traditional search results.
