OpenAI appears to be developing an advertising system for ChatGPT, specifically for search-related answers. These clues emerged when engineer Tibor Blaho reviewed version 1.2025.329 of the Android beta app. The app code contains early references to ad placement formats and shopping-style sponsored cards. This suggests OpenAI is testing a different revenue stream, focusing on the search layer for now.
How Will Sponsored Content Appear in ChatGPT?
The latest ChatGPT Android beta includes built-in markers that indicate how ads will be arranged when ChatGPT pulls information from the web. These markers define sections for sponsored product cards and scrollable lists. This suggests that ads are primarily being displayed as part of AI-powered search answers, rather than within the main chat interface. Therefore, users may begin to see shopping-related sponsored cards or scrollable panels when browsing search-enriched answers.
Some strings in the code point to marketplace-related content feeds that could aggregate retail or product listings and dynamically display them with AI-powered search responses. This suggests OpenAI is building the framework that will allow advertisers to share product-focused materials in card or carousel formats.
The presence of such markers in a beta build suggests system testing and preparation rather than a full rollout. OpenAI has not yet made a public announcement, and no timeline has been shared.
ChatGPT processes billions of requests daily, with total platform visits estimated to reach billions each month. India has the highest number of active users, providing OpenAI with a broad audience base from which to rapidly scale search-focused ads.
Unlike traditional search platforms that display ads based solely on keywords, chat-based AI can infer user intent from query structure, recent follow-up questions, and conversational themes. This allows ad targeting to be more precise than general interest-based systems.
Search ads work best when a user clearly indicates purchase intent, compares products, asks for pricing, or searches for options. AI chatbots are naturally suited to detecting these signals in real time. This could help OpenAI build an advertising system that feels less intrusive and more relevant, especially for searches driven by product selection. However, the ability to target at the user level raises valid concerns around privacy and reliability, especially if users aren’t fully aware of how recommendations or sponsored cards are selected.
