OpenAI Testing Ads in ChatGPT Amid Super Bowl Rivalry; Users 18+

OpenAI began rolling out a limited test of ads in ChatGPT to U.S. free and Go users starting February 6, 2026. Sponsored content will be clearly labeled and shown separately from responses. The change follows hours of Super Bowl commercials by Anthropic mocking ad integration in AI assistants. Ads will not appear for users under 18 or near sensitive topics, and Pro, Business, and Enterprise subscriptions remain ad-free. Background: OpenAI previously only provided product links without tracking. The shift comes as the company burned through $8 billion in 2025 and projects $74 billion in cumulative losses through 2028. Market share fell from 87% in January 2025 to about 65% in February 2026, per SimilarWeb, while Google Gemini rose to over 18%. OpenAI is finalizing up to $100 billion in new funding, with potential commitments from Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, and SoftBank.