ChatGPT users are not happy and it’s pretty easy to see why. Last weekend, OpenAI began quietly testing app suggestions in discussions, and they’re already showing people paying $200 every month for the Pro tier. In fact, these “ads” are nothing new, but they show a worrying future.
From the moment the first screenshot appeared on social media, there was an immediate reaction, and while OpenAI has yet to make a full announcement, the company may have to back off if it wants to retain its most loyal user base.
When you’re paying a premium price for an AI assistant, the last thing you want is something that looks like an ad popping up in the middle of a conversation, and the worry is that it’s just the beginning.
A future of artificial intelligence with advertising
ChatGPT has started showing ads on Pro accounts. I hope it’s just trial or error; otherwise I will unsubscribe immediately. On the other hand, the ad seems to have absolutely nothing to do with the cat. @sama, don’t do that! pic.twitter.com/PCnnhvzyC5December 1, 2025
Kol Tregaskes took to In the example, the user’s AI didn’t ask about Peloton and the app’s suggestions were unrelated to the conversation.
This image appears just days after a leak suggested that OpenAI was rolling out ads after text was detected in the ChatGPT app. In the Android version of the world’s most popular chatbot, a user has found hidden code that links to an “ad feature”, “unsolicited content”, a “search ad” and a “search ad carousel”.
You could argue that ads on ChatGPT are to be expected, especially for users on the free tier, but anyone paying $200 a month shouldn’t be getting ads under any circumstances, and to be fair, ChatGPT Plus subscribers shouldn’t be paying $20 under any circumstances.
The reaction
On Reddit, users are not happy with these ads that seem to appear out of nowhere. One user said: “The ads are pretty bad. I might just cancel my Pro subscription.”
Another added: “As a business user I’ve been seeing ads for at least two or three days (UK users so may be region specific at the moment).”
One user wanted to point out that these “ads” have been visible for a while: “ChatGPT does not show ads.” I think it has something to do with it. this specimen where Pro users have been suggested to connect apps, but this is nothing new. If you’re a designer, you might get a tip on how to access the Canva app. But it’s not what people consider advertising, and it’s nothing new this week. The news is the leak that shows that OpenAI is preparing the introduction of advertising itself, but we have not seen it in practice.
Although user sami_exploring is correct in his assessment of the situation, many still believe that presenting content that has nothing to do with their commercial desires is actually advertising. We are not 100% sure what the full rollout of ChatGPT ads will look like and if OpenAI will decide to go full steam ahead. But one thing is for sure: all is not well for ChatGPT subscribers and we hope that the inclusion of ads does not affect the entire AI landscape.