I recently came across a discussion where OpenAI needed to reassure us, their paying users, about some rather curious developments with ChatGPT.
To my surprise, images emerged of what seemed to be ads from big names like Target and Peloton. Understandably, this concern had me quite intrigued because OpenAI insisted these prompts weren’t actually ads.
What Happened. Many of us who use ChatGPT regularly shared screenshots that displayed prompts resembling promotional ads. One notable instance was a message encouraging shopping for home and groceries with Target.
OpenAI clarified that these prompts were merely recommendations for apps built on their platform, emphasizing that there was “no financial component” involved.
Despite this, the presence of brand logos and calls to action led us to believe otherwise. It naturally felt like these were ads.
Not surprisingly, many of us weren’t thrilled about this. One user responded with palpable frustration, saying, “Bruhhh… Don’t insult your paying users.”
What OpenAI is Saying. OpenAI’s management was quick to address our concerns:
“No ads.” Nick Turley, the head of ChatGPT, insisted that there are currently “no live tests for ads.” He suggested that the screenshots we saw were “either not real or not ads.”
However, Mark Chen, the chief research officer, admitted that OpenAI “fell short” and any content that could be perceived as an ad should be “handled with care.”
Chen also mentioned the disabling of these app suggestions while they refine the model’s accuracy and build better controls for users to manage them.
Ads on Hold. Despite all the chatter about potential ads on ChatGPT, OpenAI has put a pause on their advertising ambitions. CEO Sam Altman issued a companywide “code red” to enhance ChatGPT’s quality, leading to a delay in several initiatives, including those related to ads.
Why We Care. Initially, it seemed like we were about to see the dawn of ChatGPT ads, but that isn’t the case. For now, we eagerly await the end of ChatGPT’s “code red” phase and look forward to a more refined and improved product experience.
More Coverage. Discover further discussions on this issue at Techmeme.
Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
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