OpenAI (Unlisted:OPAI) has reportedly begun trialling ads in its ChatGPT chatbot, offering the format to a select group of advertisers in what marks a significant shift in its commercial strategy.
According to The Information, the AI firm is testing the ad model with dozens of brands, asking each to commit less than $1 million for a short-term pilot set to launch in early February.
The ads will be priced by number of views rather than clicks (a departure from typical online ad models) and will initially be managed directly by OpenAI.
Self-service tools, which would allow advertisers to buy and manage campaigns independently, are said to be in development.
The move follows OpenAI’s announcement last week that it would begin showing ads to some users in the US. Until now, the Microsoft-backed company had relied primarily on paid subscriptions to fund operations.
The expansion into advertising underlines the financial pressures facing OpenAI as it seeks to offset the high costs of running large-scale AI systems and gears up for a potential stock market listing. OpenAI has yet to comment publicly on the trial.