OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Ads for Indian Users
OpenAI has begun showing advertisements inside ChatGPT for users in India, according to a report by Inc42. More than 50 brands are set to go live with ads on the platform, and self-serve advertising tools will open to marketers on September 4.
The rollout marks a new revenue stream for OpenAI, which has largely relied on subscription plans since ChatGPT’s launch. For advertisers, the move offers a chance to reach users at the point they are researching products or weighing purchase decisions, a moment brands typically value highly.
Per Inc42, ads will initially appear only for logged-in adult users on ChatGPT’s Free and Go tiers. Advertisers can set daily budgets starting at ₹725. Paid tiers including Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education will remain ad-free under the new system.
OpenAI has said the advertising will not influence the content of ChatGPT’s responses, and that advertisers will not be given access to users’ conversations with the chatbot, according to the report.
India represents one of ChatGPT’s largest user markets globally, making the country a significant early market for OpenAI’s advertising push. The move signals OpenAI’s broader effort to diversify revenue beyond subscriptions and enterprise API sales as competition in the consumer AI chatbot market intensifies from rivals including Google and Anthropic.
The introduction of ads within an AI chatbot interface also raises questions for advertisers and users alike about how sponsored content will be presented alongside conversational responses, and how the company will maintain the separation between advertising and the model’s outputs as it scales the program across its user base in India and potentially other markets.
Based on reporting by inc42.com.
