OpenAI is rolling out a new, cheaper subscription plan to users worldwide, but it comes with a significant compromise. The company has launched “ChatGPT Go,” an $8 monthly tier available in the US and 170 other countries, while simultaneously announcing that advertisements are coming to the platform.
For the first time, paying for a subscription won’t guarantee an ad-free experience.
A cheaper entry point
The new ChatGPT Go plan costs $8 per month in the US. It sits between the completely free version and the premium $20 “Plus” subscription.
This plan is designed for people who need reliable access to the chatbot but don’t want to pay top dollar for advanced features like deep reasoning or high-end coding tools. However, unlike the $20 Plus or $200 Pro plans, the “Go” tier does not remove advertisements.
Ads are coming to the chat
In a major shift, OpenAI confirmed it will start testing ads in the US over the coming weeks. These sponsored messages will appear for users on both the free tier and the new paid “Go” plan.
If you want a completely clean interface without marketing, you will have to upgrade to one of the higher-tier plans (Plus, Team, or Enterprise).
How the ads work
The company promises the ads will not be intrusive. Instead of popping up in the middle of a sentence, they will appear at the bottom of the response, and only when they are relevant to what you are discussing.
For example, if you ask for dinner ideas, you might see an ad for a local delivery service. OpenAI emphasized that advertisers will not see your private conversations, and the AI’s actual answers will remain neutral and uninfluenced by sponsors.
Market Impact & Context
This move brings the “streaming model” to AI. Just like Netflix or Hulu offer cheaper plans that include commercials, OpenAI is splitting its user base. The reality is that running these AI models costs a fortune in computing power. By showing ads to budget subscribers, OpenAI can offset those costs while keeping the entry price low for casual users.
What happens next
The ad tests are starting with users in the US first. The company plans to refine the format based on feedback before rolling it out more broadly.
