The American artificial intelligence research organization, OpenAI, has begun offering ads on the ChatGPT chatbot, including several dozen advertisers in the first phase of testing.
This is the company’s first step towards monetizing the platform, following increased usage and large costs for developing advanced artificial intelligence technology.
According to a report published by The Information, the company is currently in the testing phase, inviting a limited group of advertisers to invest less than a million dollars over the next few weeks.
The ads are expected to start appearing for users in early February, marking a significant change in OpenAI’s business model.
Unlike most digital platforms, OpenAI will charge for ads based on views, not clicks, and the system for independent ad buying is not yet available to advertisers.
The company has announced that it is working to develop this functionality in the future, to offer more flexibility and options for companies that want to advertise.
This move follows previous announcements that OpenAI will begin showing ads to some ChatGPT users in the United States, as part of a broader strategy to increase the company’s revenue and cover the large expenses associated with developing artificial intelligence and maintaining the platform.
Experts estimate that the integration of advertising could be an important step towards ChatGPT’s financial sustainability, while users and advertisers will be monitored for the effectiveness of this new model.
