ChatGPT Will Soon Show Ads to Free Users, Code in Android App Reveals

ChatGPT is getting ready to show ads for users on the free tier. The change isn’t official yet, but engineer Tibor Blaho discovered multiple references to ads inside the latest ChatGPT Android app. The code mentions search ads, an ad carousel, and an ad API. Even though the leak came from the Android app, it is expected that ads will appear across all platforms, including iOS, Mac, desktop and web.

Ads Likely Tied to Shopping and Web-Search Results

The code repeatedly uses the term “search” which points to a specific type of advertising. Instead of ads appearing randomly during chats, OpenAI may limit them to situations like product research or online shopping prompts. This aligns with OpenAI’s previous experiments, where ChatGPT shows links for purchasing items during shopping-style queries.

Subscription Plans Stay the Main Business Model

ChatGPT access currently starts at 20 dollars per month for the Plus plan and 200 dollars per month for ChatGPT Pro. There are also business and education plans. In many global regions, OpenAI offers a cheaper “Go” tier for casual users. With ads expected to arrive soon, OpenAI could introduce more pricing changes or restructure plans based on whether users choose an ad-supported or ad-free tier.

Ads Fit OpenAI’s Long-Term Revenue Forecast

Over the past year, OpenAI’s stance on ads has gradually shifted. In late 2024, CEO Sam Altman called ads a “last resort.” By early 2025, leaked internal forecasts projected 1 billion dollars in “free user monetization” by 2026. Altman later said that he liked Instagram-style ads because he felt those could be helpful rather than annoying. He also suggested that OpenAI could create “cool product ads” that benefit users instead of interrupting them.

Why This Timing Matters for ChatGPT

Free users currently get access to powerful AI models without paying. Showing ads gives OpenAI a way to support that free tier while still pushing heavy users toward paid plans. It also creates a clearer gap between free and paid offerings at a time when OpenAI is expected to raise subscription prices.

A short official announcement from OpenAI has not been posted yet, but based on the Android app code findings, ads appear to be coming soon.

That’s the full picture for now. Updates will follow once OpenAI makes the change public.