OpenAI is reportedly considering introducing conversational advertising to its flagship chatbot, ChatGPT. Amid growing pressure from investors to monetize, OpenAI is actively exploring advertising as a new revenue model.
The Information, a US IT media outlet, reported that OpenAI is currently exploring various advertising partnerships and formats, with the most attractive option being the insertion of natural advertising into ChatGPT's conversational flow. This plan aims to generate revenue by incorporating product or service recommendations into responses to user questions.
OpenAI currently generates some revenue through paid subscriptions to ChatGPT, but this remains a limited source of revenue for a small number of users. Basic users access the chatbot for free, and the data center infrastructure costs for training massive language models and maintaining real-time processing for millions of users are astronomical. Some analyses estimate that OpenAI is losing millions to hundreds of millions of dollars per month. While OpenAI has attracted significant investment and driven the popularization of AI, concerns are being raised that if it fails to demonstrate profitability, it could become "the most failed tech venture in history."
OpenAI's planned advertising strategy differs from existing approaches like those of Google (GOOGL) or Meta. While these companies employ algorithmic advertising methods that display sponsored ads in search engines or social feeds, OpenAI envisions a recommendation model tailored to the context of a user's actual conversation. For example, when asked about marathon training methods, OpenAI might offer recommendations not just for a simple explanation, but also for a local running clinic or a specific brand of running shoes. If a purchase is made as a result of these recommendations, OpenAI receives a portion of the revenue.
The way advertising content is created is also noteworthy. OpenAI plans to utilize the concept of "generative ads" to have ChatGPT directly generate product advertisements. The AI will determine which product strengths to emphasize and structure the messages in various ways to ensure optimal conversion rates. They are also exploring ways to have external brands sponsor specific features within the GPT store. For example, a GPT store offering recipes could have a specific source brand sponsored.
The key is user trust. Most users perceive ChatGPT as a neutral and objective conversation partner. Concerns are being raised that indiscriminately incorporating ads could erode this trust. Accordingly, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly instructed the early advertising team, "Advertisements should be as useful as organic information, and indiscriminate exposure should be avoided." The direction is "intent-based monetization," which integrates naturally and contextually, rather than spamming ads.
Experts predict that if OpenAI successfully leads this effort, it will have a significant ripple effect across the advertising industry. The global digital advertising market is expected to soon reach an annual size of $1 trillion (approximately 1,440 trillion won), and some speculate that OpenAI could become a key player in that market.
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