Some preliminary code appears to indicate OpenAI’s revised approach to advertisements in its mobile application.
What you should know
– A report suggests that OpenAI might begin displaying ads in its ChatGPT on Android in a forthcoming update.
– Early coding explicitly refers to an “ads feature,” along with carousels that may show these ads to users, although there is speculation that they might not be visible during one-on-one conversations.
– These advertisements could be tailored based on the information the AI retains about the user, introducing a personalized element.
– An earlier ChatGPT update for Android integrated Spotify, allowing users to instruct the AI to play music or discover new tracks.
OpenAI’s chatbot on Android is seemingly moving toward an ad-laden future that may not be well-received by users.
Tibor Blaho conducted an in-depth examination of the ChatGPT app on Android, revealing the potential for ads to appear for users (via NotebookCheck). Blaho reported uncovering an “ads feature” in the initial code of a beta version of the ChatGPT app for Android. The code contains several references to incoming advertisements, such as “AdTarget,” “SearchAd,” “ApiAdTarget,” and more. Blaho specifically notes other code mentions like “bazaar content” and “search ads carousel.”
Thus, it appears that the ChatGPT app on Android is facing an ad-infused future, with a subsequent X post providing further details, indicating this has been in development for some time.
A following post refers to a statement from October by The Information, shedding light on OpenAI’s fluctuating position on advertisements within the app. Allegedly, OpenAI is “considering if ChatGPT could showcase ads based on its memory or information it recalls,” according to an employee. Blaho elaborates, mentioning that OpenAI is attempting to navigate this in a “cautious manner.”
How this might be presented to users remains uncertain; nevertheless, speculation suggests that the ChatGPT app could present ads in a card format without interrupting users’ conversations with the AI directly. As anticipated, these ads may only affect users on the free version of the ChatGPT app, not those subscribed to premium features.
ChatGPT is adapting to trends
Blaho likens OpenAI’s apparent direction for ChatGPT to Google’s approach with ads and AI Overviews. Google announced last year its intention to incorporate ads into results provided to users via AI Overviews. The goal was to be “more helpful,” as the small snippets would feature ads only if relevant to the user’s inquiry and the information relayed by the AI.
The company also shared some data, which reportedly indicated that users who encountered ads found them beneficial. There is no doubt that users might have differing opinions if this actually materializes for ChatGPT on Android.
Aside from the possibility of an ad influx, ChatGPT received an update on Android that enhanced its AI capabilities for music. Users connecting their Spotify Premium accounts to ChatGPT can have the AI seek out songs, play tracks, and even queue their favorite weekly playlists, such as Discover Weekly and New Music Friday. This entire update was quite similar to Spotify’s integration for Gemini, which provides similar tools for music discovery and playback.
