Rumors are gaining momentum about OpenAI preparing to insert advertisements into ChatGPT.
Last week, engineer Tibor Blaho made headlines After discovering a reference to an ‘advertising feature’ along with ‘Market Content’, ‘Search Ads’ and ‘Search Ads Carousel’ hidden inside the code of ChatGPT’s Android app.
Now, users are also starting to see strange inclusions at the end of chatbots’ output, encouraging users to download apps from sometimes-major brands. The sighting has sparked heated debate over whether OpenAI has already started adding advertising to its number one money maker.
The stakes are huge for OpenAI, which is spending billions of dollars every quarter — and planning to spend more than $1 trillion before the end of this decade. Finding new sources of revenue, especially in light of low ChatGPT membership numbers, is sure to be a major topic of conversation behind the scenes.
As such, CEO Sam Altman recently announced a “Code Red” as the company’s competition, particularly Google, continues to move forward, adding to the pressure.
Is OpenAI already there? started The inclusion of advertising in ChatGPIT has remained a major point of controversy on social media, with many OpenAI employees adamantly stating that the strange inclusion “is not advertising.”
There are definitely things that appear very ad-like on ChatGPT. For example, AI developer Benjamin De Cracker, created an uproar online The chatbot was “showing me ads to shop at Target.”
In fact, a small notice beneath a completely unrelated prompt reads: “Shop for home and groceries,” encouraging De Cracker to “Join Target.”
He said, “I honestly thought some of the ad claims were fake/for memes, but this is really bad and stupid.” couple,
Although OpenAI has not yet officially weighed in on the debate – the company has not responded futurismRequest for comment – Employees have argued on social media that the inclusions are not advertising.
“This is the ‘Apps SDK’ that allows anyone to build apps natively in ChatGPT,” Adam Goldberg, OpenAI’s go-to-market executive, tweeted in response to De Cracker. “This is not an advertisement.”
OpenAI’s Apps SDK, which is Currently available in previewAllows developers to “start building and testing” apps for ChatGPT.
How and why these inclusions are ending up in users’ ChatGPT conversations is unclear. (If wall street journalformulas of It is believed that the company is pausing advertising for the time being and is instead working on improving the ChatGPAT experience.)
But Goldberg’s comments only fueled the fire further, and de Kracker was not convinced.
“And here we go,” he wrote in one answer,
“‘This is not an ad,'” he added. “Bruh… don’t insult your paying users.”
Adding to the questionable optics, De Cracker pointed out that OpenAI Recently partnered with TargetA joint venture which was announced on 19 November. Target is testing a new feature that allows customers to add items sold at the retailer to their carts based on ChatGPAT recommendations. It is not clear whether the partnership is in any way related to the suggestion seen by De Cracker.
Target isn’t the only brand ChatGPT is promoting. one in separate tweetYuchen Juin, co-founder of AI startup Hyperbolic, noted that ChatGPT inspired him to “find a fitness class” and join Peloton.
“Wow, ChatGPT is already showing ads?” Juin wrote.
Both Juin and De Cracker are paying ChatGPT Pro customers. Neither of the “ads” appear to have any connection to the question any user originally asked the chatbot.
“Wild,” Juin wrote. “At least match the ad to the topic next time!”
This time, OpenAI data engineer Daniel McAuley came to the firm’s rescueArguing that “it is not an advertisement (there is no financial component to it).”
However, McAuley admitted that the jarring experience left a lot to be desired.
“This is only a suggestion to install Peloton’s app,” he wrote. “But the lack of relevancy makes it a bad/confusing experience. We’re iterating on suggestions and UX, trying to make sure they’re amazing.”
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