OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, is considering the introduction of advertising as a revenue stream, according to comments from its CFO Sarah Friar in an interview with the Financial Times.
Friar described the potential move as one that would require a “thoughtful” approach, with a focus on when and where ads might be implemented. However, in a follow-up statement, she clarified that the company currently has “no active plans to pursue advertising.”
This consideration comes as OpenAI faces the immense financial burden of developing and maintaining its advanced generative AI models. Historically, the company has relied on subscription services, such as the ChatGPT Plus offering, to generate revenue. Still, the high operational costs of AI infrastructure have prompted exploration of additional funding avenues.
The Financial Times also pointed out OpenAI’s recent hire of Shivakumar Venkataraman, a former Google executive with expertise in advertising, further signaling the company’s openness to the idea.
The prospect of ads, however, clashes with OpenAI founder Sam Altman’s personal stance on the matter. Speaking during a fireside chat at Harvard Business School, Altman labeled ads as a “last resort” and admitted discomfort with the concept of integrating advertising into AI systems. “I’m not saying OpenAI would never consider ads, but I don’t like them in general, and I think that ads-plus-AI is sort of uniquely unsettling to me,” he explained.
OpenAI’s consideration of ads reflects the growing challenge of balancing innovation with sustainability. While ads could help offset costs, they might compromise the unbiased nature users expect from AI tools like ChatGPT.
