When will ChatGPT Ads start? Leaked codes confirmed long-rumoured move

New evidence has emerged revealing that OpenAI is actively developing an advertising system for its flagship AI chatbot, ChatGPT, marking a potential end to the platform’s ad-free experience.

The discovery, made within a beta version of the Android app indicates a major strategic shift as the company is finding new revenue streams amidst rising operational costs.

Computer engineer Tibor Blaho unveiled several references to advertising features in the latest ChatGPT Android beta (version 1.2025.329).

The code strings involve terms such as “ads feature,” “search ad,” “search ads carousel,” and “bazaar content.”

The “bazaar content” clearly refers to a potential marketplace or shopping interface.

This move shows a notable pivot for OpenAI’s leadership. CEO Sam Altman has historically been skeptical of ads once describing them as a “last resort” and “unsettling” for a conversational AI.

But, his public stance has softened in recent months.

While speaking on his company’s podcast in June 2025, Altman said, “I’m not totally against it.”

“I think there might be a cool ad model that benefit users,” he added.

The company's exploration of advertising is also evident from Open AI’s openly poaching advertising talent from giants such as Google and Meta and posting job listings for roles related to building campaign tools and attribution pipelines.

The addition of ads is widely seen as a response to immense financial pressure. Despite projecting $13 billion in revenue for 2025, mainly from its ChatGPT Plus and enterprise subscriptions, the company is not yet profitable.

A major deficit is created from OpenAI’s massive spending on computer power, data centers, and AI models.

Advertising on the free tier of ChatGPT, which boasts hundreds of millions of users, gives a multi-billion dollar opportunity to aid close this gap.

Although it will be a profitable revenue stream for the company, potential introduction of ads raises immediate questions about user experience and privacy.

ChatGPT has differentiated itself as an ad-free alternative to cluttered search engines.

With introduction of sponsored content, a conversational flow erodes user trust, particularly if responses are perceived as influenced by commercial interests.

This also poses major ethical risks as highly targeted ads are potentially based on intimate details shared in private conversations.

Open AI has not officially commented on the leaked code or confirmed a timeline for an ad rollout.