OpenAI is reportedly developing and testing an ad system inside ChatGPT, starting with search-connected answers.

Tibor Blaho, engineer at AIPRMcorp, discovered ad system strings inside the latest ChatGPT Android beta (version 1.2025.3200) with references to ‘ads feature’, ‘search ads’ and ‘bazaar content’.

He posted images of the code on X, which has quickly been circulated across multiple platforms including Reddit.

The code contains early indications for ad placement formats and shopping-style sponsored cards such as ad-targeting hooks and an ad carousel.

It suggests that OpenAI is considering embedding promotions directly into ChatGPT’s search-style results – a move that would closely resemble Google’s search ads model.

Blaho wrote on X: “My guess is that ads will start around search, shopping and recommendation answers, with ‘bazaar content’ and ‘search ads carousel’ pointing marketplace style product cards, not inside every normal chat.

“This brings ChatGPT close to what we already see from Google and Microsoft, where Google shows ads inside AI Overviews and AI Mode results and has talked about native ad ideas for Gemini. Copilot already shows ads in chat for shopping and other commercial questions, and Perplexity shows sponsored follow up questions next to the answers.”

OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman has been talking about testing ads in a “careful way” and this is the first clear sign that this is now being developed.

As of late 2025, Altman confirmed ChatGPT has reached 800 million weekly users and now processes billions of prompts per day. It means, marketers and affiliates can’t ignore this, especially given how consumer behaviour is changing within search.