OpenAI announced Friday that it plans to begin testing advertisements within ChatGPT in the coming weeks, a move that marks a significant shift for the widely used artificial intelligence product. The initial ad tests will roll out in the United States before expanding globally.

The company stated that the advertisements will not influence ChatGPT's responses. Instead, all ads will appear in separate, clearly labeled boxes directly below the chatbot's answer. As an example, if a user asks ChatGPT for help planning a trip to New York City, they will receive a standard answer from the chatbot, followed by a potentially relevant ad, such as one for a hotel in the area.

Fidji Simo, CEO of applications at OpenAI, emphasized the importance of maintaining user trust in a blog post announcing the ad trial. "People trust ChatGPT for many important and personal tasks, so as we introduce ads, it’s crucial we preserve what makes ChatGPT valuable in the first place," Simo wrote. "That means you need to trust that ChatGPT’s responses are driven by what’s objectively useful, never by advertising."

The first advertisements will appear for logged-in users on ChatGPT's free tier, as well as its $8-a-month Go tier, which began rolling out to users in the United States on Friday. This move represents a significant step in OpenAI's efforts to monetize its popular AI chatbot. The integration of advertising raises questions about the potential impact on the user experience and the integrity of the AI's responses. OpenAI's commitment to clearly labeling ads and ensuring they do not influence the chatbot's answers will be crucial in maintaining user trust.