Are ChatGPT Ads Really Coming in 2026? Read This Before You Believe the Hype
Over the last few weeks, a wave of self-proclaimed marketing “experts” have been loudly claiming they have proof that ChatGPT Ads are coming in 2026.
Everyone suddenly has an opinion and, sadly, many of them are totally false.
Your feed is probably full of “expert tips” on how to prepare your business for ChatGPT Ads, bold predictions on where they will appear, and threads urging you to “read this or get left behind.”
Here is the problem.
Most of it is completely wrong.
The kind of stuff that gives marketers a bad name.
A lot of what you are seeing about ChatGPT Ads on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, and Reddit is misinformation created by people trying to ride the hype train for clicks, followers, and perceived authority.
The loudest voices forgot to do the most basic thing: verify whether any of it is real.
Let’s break down what actually happened and what is true.
Where the Rumor Started: The “Leaked” ChatGPT Ads Invite Email
Multiple users reported receiving an email inviting them to test a supposed “ChatGPT Advertising” app through TestFlight.
First, here is what TestFlight is.
TestFlight is Apple’s official platform where developers share beta versions of apps so users can test features, find bugs, and give feedback through email invites or public links
In early December 2025, some users reported receiving an email inviting them to test something called “ChatGPT Ads Platform”
Those emails were quickly shared on LinkedIn, social media, and online forums
Then additional “leaks” started popping up that claimed to outline the ad rollout, ad placement, and revenue plans for OpenAI
It all looked official enough that many people confidently declared that ads in ChatGPT were basically here
Screenshots of the Scam Email
And yes, the email looked convincing at first glance.
Very convincing.
Within days, marketers and influencers began losing their minds. Suddenly “Top Experts” and “Top Business Coaches” were delivering hot takes, predictions, monetization models, and bold warnings to businesses to prepare immediately.
There was only one problem.
The email was fake.
And almost no one stopped to question it before making big public claims about ChatGPT Ads.
At least one person, however, did take the time to call it what it was and recognized exactly what was happening while calling out a bigger issue with TestFlight scams:
There is No Official Proof That ChatGPT is Testing Ads in TestFlight
This is not a “maybe.” This is not “reading between the lines.”
OpenAI executives have publicly denied the rumor and clarified what people thought they saw.
Here is what actually happened:
Official denial: Nick Turley, VP and Head of ChatGPT, clearly stated that OpenAI is not running live ad tests. He also said that if ads are ever introduced, it would be done thoughtfully in order to protect user trust. Mark Chen, Chief Research Officer, added that some model behaviors that felt like ads were turned off
User claims and code references: Rumors ramped up after users shared screenshots they believed were ads and developer Tibor Blaho said he saw references to things like “ads feature” and “search ad” inside a beta version of the Android app
App suggestions misunderstood: OpenAI clarified that what some users thought were ads were actually “app suggestions,” for example suggesting the Peloton app during a conversation about fitness. These were not paid placements
TestFlight speculation: A LinkedIn post claimed a “ChatGPT Advertising” app appeared inside TestFlight. That claim fueled speculation further, but OpenAI has never confirmed that this represented live ad testing
So yes, there have been rumors, screenshots, misinterpretations of code, and speculation.
But there is still no official proof that ChatGPT is testing ads through TestFlight or any other version of the app.
ChatGPT’s Target Partnership – Aren’t These Ads?!
Ok so what about the times ChatGPT is showing suggested apps to buy stuff from, say, Target?
Looks like an ad to us. So what gives?
In November of 2025 OpenAI started experimenting with shopping / “app suggestions” inside ChatGPT, including a new Target shopping app.
This all stems from their push to create an integrated app connector inside of ChatGPT.
For a select group of users, ChatGPT answers included app suggestions. Do giant retail brands like Target, Peloton, and Expedia pay to feature their app integrations?
It’s a good question. We know listing your app is free. Getting on their featured page for free? Seems unlikely.
What OpenAI Execs Have Actually Said About ChatGPT Ads
Mark Chen, OpenAI’s Chief Resource Officer, had this to say about the allegations of new ads inside ChatGPT:
Nick Turley, who leads the ChatGPT platform, addressed the rumors directly at the beginning of December.
He said very clearly:
“I’m seeing lots of confusion about ads rumors in ChatGPT. There are no live tests for ads. Any screenshots you have seen are either not real or not ads. If we do pursue ads, we will take a thoughtful approach. People trust ChatGPT and anything we do will be designed to respect that.”
That is about as straightforward as it gets.
No live ad tests. No secret rollout.
Two Things Can Be True at the Same Time
The first truth is that ChatGPT has indeed partnered with many 3rd party company apps that are listed inside their App section.
Then these apps are suggested to users which feels a lot like an ad.
The second truth, and most important one, is that the claims ChatGPT is testing an ads platform are indeed false.
If you think you will get a lucky golden ticket to advertise your local business or national brand via paid placement and user targeting like you could do in some other social platforms, you need to pump the brakes. This isn’t happening. At least not yet.
Here Are the Bogus Claims to Watch Out For
Right now, bogus claims are everywhere.
Viral threads claiming ChatGPT Ads are already here
“I have insider access” style posts
TikToks and YouTube videos declaring that your business must prepare immediately
Many of these posts look authoritative. Some even use convincing graphics and mockups.
But a lot of them are chasing engagement, not truth.
Here’s one from LinkedIn:
Another on LinkedIn:
YouTube going nuts, too…
Except ChatGPT does not have ads.
So… Are ChatGPT Ads Ever Coming?
Probably, yes.
It would be shocking if a platform this large never explored an advertising model in some form. There is too much commercial demand and too many obvious monetization paths for ads to never appear.
But here is the key point.
They are not here now.
And the “ChatGPT Ads are launching through TestFlight right now” storyline is built on:
a scam email
misread code snippets
speculation
people wanting to be first to break a hot story
So before you panic, overhaul your strategy, or share another breathless “breaking news” post…
Take a breath.
Check the source.
And do not let hype masquerading as expertise drive your decisions.
