Advertisements in ChatGPT: What's being tested, where, and how it impacts you

What's changing? Starting February 9, 2026, OpenAI is testing ads in ChatGPT for logged-in adult users on the Free and Go tiers in Canada. Ads are clearly marked, appear below responses, don’t affect answers, keep chats confidential from advertisers, and offer user controls—including an Ads-Free option on Free.

Why this matters now

To maintain broad, free access, OpenAI has started testing advertisements in ChatGPT. The test started on February 9, 2026, and currently applies only in Canada for logged-in adult users on the Free and Go plans. Paid plans (Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education) remain ad-free.

Who will (and won't) see ads

• May see ads (during the test): Logged-in adults on Free and Go in Canada.

• Won't see ads: Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education users, and accounts identified as under 18.

Where ads appear and how they look

Ads are clearly marked (e.g., “Sponsored”) and are visually distinct below ChatGPT’s answer. During the test, there is one ad unit at a time when relevant to the conversation. Ads do not appear in Temporary Chats, when logged out, right after generating an image, or in the ChatGPT Atlas browser.

Independence of answers

OpenAI assures ads do not influence ChatGPT’s answers. Chat outputs remain independent, and advertisers cannot modify, rank, or change responses. Ads are chosen based on conversation context (and, if personalisation is enabled, past chats and ad interactions), but your conversations aren’t shared with advertisers.

Privacy & data sharing

• Conversations stay confidential from advertisers.

• Your data is not sold to advertisers.

• Advertisers receive only aggregate, non-identifying performance data (e.g., views, clicks).

• Ads are excluded from sensitive or regulated topics (like health, mental health, and politics) and are not shown to users under 18.

Your controls (including Ads-Free on Free)

You can manage your ad experience in Settings → Ad controls (where available):

• Turn off personalisation (you’ll still see contextual ads).

• Block or report individual ads and view why you’re seeing an ad.

• Clear ad data at any time (kept up to 30 days before removal).

• Go Ads-Free on the Free plan by agreeing to lower usage limits and reduced feature access (e.g., fewer daily messages; some tools like image generation may be unavailable). Alternatively, upgrade to Plus/Pro for an ad-free experience with higher limits.

Practical examples

• You ask for meal-prep ideas; you might see a clearly labelled sponsored grocery kit link below the response.

• You can tap “…” → About this ad to understand why it appeared, hide it if it's irrelevant, or Ask ChatGPT about that particular ad.

Global readers: what to expect

This is a Canada-only test for now. OpenAI plans to gradually expand and will share updates based on real-world usage. We'll update this page when testing extends beyond Canada.

Bottom line

Ads in ChatGPT are being trialed to support free access without compromising answer quality or privacy. You remain in control, and there’s an Ads-Free option on Free, or simply choose ad-free paid tiers if preferred.

FAQs

Will ads affect ChatGPT's answers?
No. Ads don’t influence responses and are kept separate and clearly marked.

Who currently sees ads?
Logged-in adult users on Free and Go in Canada during the test.

Can I turn off ads?
Yes. On the Free plan, you can switch to Ads-Free (with fewer messages and reduced tools) or upgrade to Plus/Pro for an ad-free experience with higher limits.

What data is shared with advertisers?
Only aggregate performance data (e.g., views, clicks)—not your chats, chat history, memories, or personal details.

Will minors or sensitive topics see ads?
No. Ads aren’t shown to under-18 accounts and are excluded from sensitive or regulated topics like health or politics.

Official resources:

• OpenAI announcement: Testing ads in ChatGPT

• Help Centre: Ads in ChatGPT

• Principles: Our approach to advertising & expanding access