Advertising Tests Introduced for Free and $8-per-Month "ChatGPT Go" Accounts
Ads Clearly Separated from AI Responses; No Data Sales Policy
Paid Plans of $20 or More per Month Remain Ad-Free as Before
OpenAI, a leading player in artificial intelligence (AI), is introducing an advertising system to ChatGPT in an effort to improve profitability. At the same time, the company is expanding its low-cost subscription plan, which had previously been piloted in select countries, to users worldwide, marking a full-scale push to increase revenue.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, is entering the SK Seorin Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, for a luncheon meeting with Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group. Photo by Yonhap News
Advertising Tests Begin in the US... Low-Cost Subscription Plan Expands Globally
On January 16 (local time), OpenAI officially announced that it will begin testing advertisements with free users and subscribers of the low-cost "ChatGPT Go" plan in the United States within the next few weeks.
Simultaneously, OpenAI will expand the "ChatGPT Go" plan, which costs $8 per month, to users around the world. First launched in India in August last year, this plan offers higher usage limits than free accounts while keeping the price affordable. OpenAI emphasized, "By introducing an advertising-supported plan, more users will be able to access AI tools without financial burden."
OpenAI plans to ensure that advertisements do not affect the quality of ChatGPT's responses. Ads will be displayed in areas clearly separated from the AI's answers, and the company firmly stated that it will never sell users' conversation content or personal data to advertisers.
According to the released sample screens, a hot sauce ad might appear below a conversation about Mexican recipes, or an accommodation ad might be shown beneath a travel-related discussion. Users can immediately ask follow-up questions about advertised products to help with their purchase decisions.
Premium Plans Remain Ad-Free... Monetization Efforts Accelerate
However, advertisements will not be shown to all users. The "Plus" plan, which costs $20 per month, the $200 "Pro" plan, and enterprise services will continue to be ad-free as before. In addition, accounts for users under 18 years old and conversations on sensitive topics such as health or politics will not display advertisements.
Industry observers view these measures as part of OpenAI's strategy to alleviate financial pressures. To offset deficits caused by large-scale infrastructure investments, the company has recently accelerated diversification of its revenue model, including hiring Dennis Dresser, former CEO of Slack, as its Chief Revenue Officer (CRO).
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
