A leaked Android ChatGPT beta (version 1.2025.329) references an ads infrastructure with terms like search ad, search ads carousel, and bazaar content, suggesting tests around sponsored content inside chats.

OpenAI has not announced an official decision on ads, with the CEO previously noting ads are a possibility but not guaranteed, and stressing the importance of user trust.

Reports indicate OpenAI is testing an ads feature inside ChatGPT, potentially changing how the web economy operates within the chat platform.

Cyber-coverage frames this as an evolving story with ongoing updates to confirm details and scope.

current and projected user metrics show roughly 800 million weekly users, growth from 100 million in late 2023, and a projection of 700 million users sending 18 billion messages weekly by mid-2025, with global traffic of about 5–6 billion visits per month.

Public reaction questions center on whether ads would drive users away or push subscriptions, and whether ad targeting based on interactions would affect trust.

There is no public rollout yet; internal code indicators and executive hints suggest a broader rollout could occur around 2026, though this is unconfirmed.

The strategy leverages ChatGPT’s high daily usage and intent-rich interactions, with potential targeting based on conversation context rather than keywords alone.

Industry observers compare potential strategy to competitors like Google and Microsoft, with ads possibly appearing in free-tier usage while paid subscribers stay ad-free.

Ad formats may be contextual rather than banner-like, appearing during shopping or product-comparison queries, and could use memory-based personalization to tailor relevance.

Initial testing could focus on search-based answers rather than broad dialogue, signaling a phased approach to ads.

The information originates from a leak cited by software engineer Tibor Blaho on X (formerly Twitter).