ChatGPT to start showing ads across Europe next week
OpenAI is expanding its ChatGPT advertising program to 31 European countries, allowing ads to appear in free and low-cost plans. The company maintains that user conversations remain private and that ads are clearly labeled and separate from AI-generated responses.
Why it matters
The integration of advertising into AI interfaces raises significant questions about user privacy, data ethics, and the monetization of generative AI tools.
Starting Monday, tens of millions of ChatGPT users across Europe will see adverts inside their conversations with the chatbot for the first time, as OpenAI rolls out its recently launched advertising programme to its largest market yet.The company is extending ChatGPT Ads to 31 European countries from 24 August, and the rollout brings the total up to 40 markets.OpenAI began testing ads in the US in February, then extended the programme through the year to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and South Korea.Ads will only show up on ChatGPT's Free and Go plans, the cheapest tiers, while Plus, Pro and Enterprise subscribers will not see any. The move gives European marketers "a new way to reach people while they are actively exploring, comparing, and making decisions," the company said in a statement.Ads in chatbots?OpenAI says protecting user trust is foundational to how it approaches advertising.
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