OpenAI Podcast Episode 13 - The Thinking Behind Ads in ChatGPT
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Feb 9, 2026 
Asad Awan, ad lead at OpenAI who balances user trust, privacy, and ad usefulness. He discusses why ads are being tested now. He explains strict separation between model answers and ads. He covers controls, privacy safeguards for sensitive chats, and how ads can help small businesses. He outlines conservative design, personalization toggles, and future conversational ad ideas.
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Ads To Democratize Access
- OpenAI views ads as a practical way to fund wide access to high-quality AI for everyone.
- Ads must follow strict principles so they don't erode user trust.
Principles Over Profits
- OpenAI set core principles prioritizing separation, privacy, control, and quality for ads.
- The company explicitly ranks user trust above user value, advertiser value, and revenue.
Force A Clear Wall Between Ads And Answers
- Keep model responses and ad content strictly separate so answers remain trustworthy.
- Only let the model access ad content after you explicitly request it by pressing a button.