"South Africans who use ChatGPT's free version may soon start seeing advertisements in the app, as OpenAI prepares to test ads as part of a major shift in how it funds the popular AI tool. The company has confirmed that advertising will begin appearing for some users in the United States in the coming weeks. While the test does not yet include South Africa, the move signals what local users could eventually expect as ChatGPT continues to expand globally."
"OpenAI has said it does not expect to be profitable for several years and has committed to spending about $1.4 trillion on data centres and specialised computer chips needed to support AI systems, Mybroadband reports. Until now, the company has relied mainly on subscriptions and business customers for revenue. Introducing ads marks a significant change, especially as OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has previously said he dislikes advertising, warning it could affect user trust."
OpenAI will test advertisements in the free ChatGPT tier beginning with some users in the United States, with the possibility of expanding to other markets such as South Africa. Ads will also be included in a new lower-cost paid plan priced around $8 per month, while higher-priced subscriptions will remain ad-free. The company cites rising operational costs and massive investments in data centres and specialised chips as reasons for exploring advertising. Ads will appear as sponsored products or services clearly separated at the bottom of relevant responses, and OpenAI says ads will not affect answers while aiming to protect privacy and trust.
Read at The South African
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]