OpenAI isn't ruling out ads on ChatGPT and is exploring new ways to monetize.

ChatGPT has established itself as one of the world's most popular artificial intelligence tools , thanks in part to its ad-free experience. However, OpenAI doesn't rule out this feature changing in the near future.

Nick Turley, head of ChatGPT, explained on The Verge's Decoder podcast that the company remains "open-minded" about the inclusion of ads. He added that, if implemented, it would be "very thoughtful and careful" so as not to impact the user experience.

Turley acknowledged that ChatGPT might not be the ideal product for this business model, although other OpenAI solutions could integrate ads more naturally.

OpenAI has grown rapidly thanks to paid subscriptions , such as its Plus plan, which already has more than 20 million users. Despite these numbers, the company has yet to reach profitability. According to Bloomberg, revenue is expected to reach $12.7 billion in 2025 , but they don't expect to break even and generate a profit before 2029.

Faced with this situation, OpenAI is looking to diversify its revenue streams . Among its initiatives is 'Commerce in ChatGPT,' a project that would allow users to recommend products within chats and receive a commission on purchases, without compromising the impartiality of the recommendations.

The idea is to enable a payment system within ChatGPT , allowing users to purchase products without leaving the assistant interface. According to the Financial Times, OpenAI is in talks with e-commerce companies, including Shopify, to evaluate preliminary versions of the tool.

Currently, ChatGPT only redirects users to external pages via suggested product links. The new proposal would move the entire purchasing process within the chatbot, which would represent a strategic shift by positioning OpenAI as a direct intermediary in online transactions.

The project is still in development, and sellers who process purchases through this system would pay OpenAI a commission on each transaction . The exact percentage and final terms are still under negotiation, with the goal of introducing the feature to more merchant partners in the near future.

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has been ambivalent about advertising. He has stated that it would be a measure of "last resort," but he is not completely opposed to this alternative.

Currently, the ad-free experience is one of ChatGPT's greatest strengths, appreciated by millions of users. The potential introduction of advertising will depend on OpenAI's business strategy and community acceptance , which has praised the platform for its clean, seamless environment.

If advertising is introduced, the ChatGPT experience would change, as an ad-free conversational assistant would now include commercial messages. This could generate new revenue streams for OpenAI, but it could also raise questions about the neutrality of the responses and user trust in the tool.

The company assures that any decision will be made carefully to maintain the quality and reliability of the recommendations, prioritizing user experience over direct monetization.

OpenAI is exploring various monetization schemes, including advertising and commerce within ChatGPT , while maintaining the promise of providing a reliable and seamless service. The implementation of these strategies will depend on user acceptance and the company's ability to balance revenue and user experience , marking a potential shift in the business model for conversational AI.