OpenAI to flood your eyeballs with visual ads
Want to generate an image with ChatGPT? Then prepare for ads if you're in the US
OpenAI plans to introduce visual advertisements into its ChatGPT chatbot, expanding its existing text-based ad format. Initially, these visual ads will be tested during image generation. According to OpenAI, these ads will enable users to discover new brands, understand product uniqueness, and make purchase decisions based on the presented images. The testing of these new ads is set to commence in October in the United States, given the country's status as the advertising industry's epicenter.
The company has not provided detailed information about the visual ad format, making it unclear how the ads will appear. They could potentially function as a loading screen while ChatGPT generates an image or remain on screen after the image is created. Furthermore, it remains uncertain whether the ads will be dynamically generated by ChatGPT or sourced from a pre-existing library of advertisements submitted by companies.
One advertising industry CEO questioned the effectiveness of visual ads, suggesting that search ads are more successful at reaching people when they are actively looking for a product. OpenAI has not disclosed how it will target visual ads, leaving potential advertisers uncertain about the format's effectiveness and potential intrusiveness. Free users can opt out of ads, but this feature disables image generation, with Plus subscriptions starting at $20 per month required to generate images without ads.
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