ChatGPT might get ads (again), and they might sit next to your advice

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Just when it seemed like OpenAI had put the idea of ads inside ChatGPT back on the shelf, it turns out the solution was temporary. 

According to a new report from The Information, OpenAI is still actively exploring what “ChatGPT ads” could look like, including sponsored content that might show up inside actual chatbot responses.

To be clear, this doesn’t mean your next productivity tip will immediately come with a coupon code. 

These are concepts and mockups, not a confirmed launch. But the idea matters, because ads inside a conversational AI aren’t like banner ads on a website. 

When advice and advertising share the same space, it can quietly influence what you trust, click, or buy, especially when it’s delivered in ChatGPT’s calm, confident tone.

OpenAI itself acknowledged the possibility in a statement, saying it’s “exploring what ads in our product could look like,” while emphasizing that protecting user trust is still the top priority. 

So what might these ads look like? The Information describes two main concepts. One option would subtly prioritize sponsored content so it appears naturally within ChatGPT’s answers. 

Another would place sponsored information in a sidebar next to the main response. Sidebar ads are familiar and visually obvious. Your brain instantly labels them as “ads.” 

Sponsored content woven directly into answers, however, is trickier. That’s where things can start to feel like one seamless recommendation, even if it technically isn’t.

If this all feels like déjà vu, that’s because it is. 

Earlier this year, ad-related references popped up in an Android beta, followed by reports that OpenAI had cooled on ads to focus on response quality, especially with pressure mounting from Google Gemini. 

Now, the new findings suggest the idea never really went away. It just stopped being urgent.

What should you watch for next? Disclosure will be the big tell. Clear “sponsored” labels, consistent placement, and transparent settings around personalization are the minimum bar. 

The other clue is location: if ads stay in a sidebar, they’ll feel familiar. If they blend into answers, expect louder debates.

There’s still no rollout date. For now, this is all prototype land.