OpenAI appears to be laying the foundations for an advertising-backed version of ChatGPT, with new code discovered inside its Android beta app fuelling speculation that ads may soon become part of the user experience. Combined with recent remarks from chief executive Sam Altman, the signals suggest that the world’s most widely used AI assistant is preparing for a significant shift in its business model.
Fresh leaks — first spotted in a beta build of ChatGPT’s Android app — have revealed references to internal “ads” infrastructure, indicating that OpenAI may be experimenting with sponsored suggestions within responses. While the company has not made any official announcement, the discovery has triggered intense debate across the tech industry about whether advertising might become the next frontier in AI monetisation.
Information security publication Bleeping Computer reported that version 1.2025.329 of the ChatGPT Android beta contains explicit strings such as “search ad”, “search ads carousel”, and “bazaar content”. These references strongly imply that OpenAI is building tools to insert sponsored or promoted content into certain types of chat interactions.
Another industry tracker, FindArticles, corroborated the findings, noting that the code appears to relate specifically to search-linked responses rather than general conversation. This suggests the company may initially limit ads to queries with commercial intent, such as shopping comparisons or product look-ups.
Running advanced AI models is exceptionally expensive, and OpenAI has been under pressure to diversify revenue beyond subscriptions. According to Bleeping Computer, the company is exploring additional income streams to offset rising computational costs.
In comments reported by The Keyword, Altman acknowledged that advertising is “something we may try at some point”, though he stressed that no firm decision had been made. He also warned that any monetisation strategy must preserve user trust — a core ingredient in ChatGPT’s rapid adoption.
“If ChatGPT were accepting payment to put a worse hotel above a better hotel, that is probably catastrophic for your relationship with ChatGPT,” Altman said, underscoring the risks of blending commercial content with ostensibly neutral recommendations.
Industry analysts have also pointed to OpenAI’s recent hiring for ad-focused engineering roles, a sign that the company may be moving beyond early experimentation.
Reports from GizmoChina suggest that ads may not appear as intrusive banners. Instead, users may see contextual suggestions inserted into relevant conversations — for example, when comparing products, planning travel, or seeking recommendations.
Some analysts say personalisation features, including ChatGPT’s memory, could be used to tailor advertising, raising fresh questions about data usage and privacy.
The introduction of ads in AI-generated responses could reshape how millions interpret the platform’s guidance. For ordinary users, it may complicate choices when recommendations begin mixing organic and sponsored information. For professionals — including researchers, educators, and journalists — the need for critical scrutiny may become even more important.
Privacy concerns may also intensify, particularly if personalisation relies on conversation history or behavioural signals. Transparency, data control, and user consent are expected to become central points of debate as OpenAI charts its next phase of growth.