Starting August 24, OpenAI will begin showing ads to ChatGPT users in Europe. The advertising program will launch in 31 countries in the region, bringing the total number of markets where the company places ads in the chatbot to 40, according to infohub.kz.
Ads will only be available to users on the ChatGPT Free and Go plans. Subscribers to Plus, Pro, and Enterprise will not see ads.
OpenAI expects the new format to allow advertisers to reach users at the moment they are searching for information, comparing options, or making a purchase decision.
The company began testing ads in ChatGPT in the U.S. in February 2026. The program was later expanded to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, and South Korea.
OpenAI says that ads will be clearly labeled and separated from the chatbot's responses. The company also states that advertisers do not get access to user conversations, and ad content does not influence ChatGPT's answers.
"Ads in ChatGPT are always clearly labeled and separated from ChatGPT's responses, and ad messages do not affect what answers ChatGPT gives," the company said in a statement.
Users will be able to control ad personalization. To opt out entirely, they can either choose a more expensive ad-free plan or use the ad-free version of the free plan with lower limits, available in settings.
The ad rollout has already drawn criticism. In particular, some users of the U.S. Go plan, which costs $8 per month, were unhappy that ads appeared even in the paid subscription.
In January, U.S. Senator Ed Markey also reached out to tech company leaders, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. He expressed concerns that ads inside AI chatbots could exploit users' trust in such services, especially during conversations on sensitive topics like health or politics.
European regulators may take interest in the ads
The expansion of the ad program to the European market could attract the attention of EU regulators.
A key issue relates to the EU's Artificial Intelligence Act. The law prohibits the use of AI systems that employ manipulative techniques or exploit human vulnerabilities if they could cause significant harm.
Experts note that with conversational AI, drawing the line between ordinary advertising and personalized influence can be more difficult. An ad appearing directly within a conversation may be perceived differently than a typical banner ad or a sponsored link in search results.
Meanwhile, there is virtually no practice yet of applying European legislation to ads inside AI chatbots.
Another issue relates to the Digital Services Act (DSA). The European Commission is considering whether to recognize ChatGPT's search functions as a very large online search engine.
Such status applies to services with more than 45 million monthly active users in the EU.
If that happens, OpenAI could face additional requirements, including annual risk assessments, independent audits, publication of an ad registry, and closer cooperation with European regulators.