OpenAI is Introducing Ads in ChatGPT’s Image Generation Feature

OpenAI is about to introduce ads into ChatGPT’s image generation feature. The new visual ad format will be tested in the US later this month with a limited selection of advertisers, and OpenAI said that ads will be “clearly labeled” and separated from AI-generated images.

“Our new visual ad format helps people imagine how products and services could fit into their lives. Through images showing product inspiration, product usage, or the experiences they make possible, people can discover a new brand, understand what makes an offering distinctive, and decide what to buy. For advertisers, this creates new opportunities to tell their story through images,” the company explained today.

According to OpenAI, ChatGPT now has over 1.2 billion weekly active users. However, the AI startup, which has yet to find a sustainable business model, has to find ways to monetize its audience, including free users. That’s why the company rolled out ads to Free and Go users this year, starting in the US before expanding them to 31 European countries.

“Advertising helps us bring the benefits of AI to more people. That broad access is central to our mission, and a strength of our business. It allows us to serve a much larger market than subscriptions alone, while giving businesses a new way to reach people as they explore ideas, make decisions and discover products and services relevant to what they’re trying to accomplish,” the company said today.

OpenAI emphasized its new visual ad format doesn’t influence ChatGPT’s answers, and that its ad placement guardrails are designed to “keep ads out of emotionally vulnerable, sensitive, or otherwise unsuitable contexts.” The company also said today that it will continue experimenting with new ad formats while giving advertisers more tools to measure the impact of their ChatGPT ads.