OpenAI is testing advertising on ChatGPT to explore new revenue streams.

OpenAI has officially launched advertising trials on the basic versions of its ChatGPT chatbot.

This is seen as a strategic move to seek new revenue streams, amid sharply rising operating costs, and also as a test of user acceptance of commercial disruptions.

According to an announcement from OpenAI on February 9th, the initial testing program applies to logged-in adult users in the US, using both the Free plan and the "Go" subscription plan (priced at $8/month).

Meanwhile, the company's premium service subscriptions will continue to be ad-free. Currently, only a small percentage of OpenAI's nearly 1 billion users are paying for these premium packages.

To allay concerns about the user experience, OpenAI stated: “Advertising does not affect the responses ChatGPT provides, and we are committed to keeping users’ conversations private and not sharing them with advertisers.”

Since ChatGPT launched in 2022, OpenAI's market capitalization has skyrocketed to $500 billion through funding rounds, making it the world's most valued private startup.

Some analysts even expect OpenAI to reach a valuation of $1 trillion if it proceeds with an initial public offering (IPO).

However, the reality is that OpenAI is "devouring" investment funds at a very rapid pace, mainly due to the enormous cost of the computing systems needed to operate and provide artificial intelligence (AI) services.

Notably, the decision to experiment with advertising marks a clear shift in perspective for CEO Sam Altman.

Altman has previously expressed his dislike for the advertising model on several occasions, fearing that it could erode user trust in the content ChatGPT provides.

OpenAI's sudden change of direction immediately drew a sarcastic response from its rival, Anthropic. During the recent Super Bowl, Anthropic released an advertisement asserting that its chatbot, Claude, would always say no to ads.