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ChatGPT now shows ads in 89 countries. Who sees them, and who doesn’t
OpenAI added 26 more countries to ChatGPT’s ad program on October 21. Here is what that means for free users, which plans stay ad-free, and what OpenAI says about your privacy.
In this article
Key takeaways
- OpenAI added 26 countries on October 21, 2026, so ChatGPT ads are now sold in 89, according to PPC Land’s reading of OpenAI’s announcement.
- Ads appear only on the Free and Go plans. Plus, Pro and Enterprise are described as ad-free.
- OpenAI says ads are labelled, kept separate from answers, and do not change what ChatGPT says. That is the company’s own statement.
- The 100,000-advertiser figure counts everyone who has ever run a campaign, not how many are active now.
What changed
On October 21, OpenAI said it is bringing ChatGPT advertising to 26 more countries, taking the total to 89. PPC Land, which reported on the announcement, says OpenAI named only 11 of the new markets: Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru in Latin America, and Nigeria, South Africa, Serbia, Ukraine, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Pakistan elsewhere. The other 15 were not named, and no start dates were given for individual countries.
OpenAI also says more than 100,000 advertisers have run campaigns since ads launched a little over eight months ago. That is a running total, so it says nothing about how many advertisers are active today or how much they spend.
Which plans see ads
According to PPC Land, ads appear only on the Free and Go plans, while Plus, Pro and Enterprise stay ad-free. The report does not mention the Business plan. Earlier coverage from TechWyse says the first US test in February was limited to logged-in adults on Free and Go.
If you are in one of the countries listed above, or in a country where ads have already launched, you may start seeing sponsored content on a free account. If you pay for a higher plan, the reports we read say you should not.
What OpenAI says about privacy
OpenAI’s stated position, as relayed by both outlets, is that ads are clearly labelled, sit apart from ChatGPT’s answers, and do not influence them. It also says advertisers cannot see your private conversations and that customer data is not sold.
TechWyse adds that ad relevance is based mainly on the conversation you are having, and that broader ChatGPT history may be used only where your personalization settings and local rules allow it. Neither report explains the exact controls, so it is worth opening your own settings to see what is switched on.
What is still unclear
- Which 15 countries were added but not named.
- Whether the restrictions on under-18s and sensitive topics, mentioned in earlier coverage, apply in every new market.
- How much advertisers spend, since the 100,000 figure is cumulative.
- Whether more paid tiers will get ads later. The reports do not say.
What you can do
- Check which plan you are on, and open Settings to review personalization and data controls.
- Treat anything labelled as an ad like an ad. A sponsored suggestion is not ChatGPT’s own recommendation.
- Keep passwords, financial details and private documents out of any free chat, ad or no ad.
- If ads bother you, compare free tools such as Gemini or Claude, and check their own terms before assuming they differ.
Go deeper
Sources
Written by an AI from the sources above and checked by a person before publishing. We have not tested products unless we say so. See our editorial policy or tell us about an error through contact.
