ChatGPT也开始内测广告，AI们集体变身“首席卖货官”

Core Insights - The idealistic vision of generative AI is fracturing as companies shift focus towards monetization through advertising [2][3][5] - OpenAI plans to launch an advertising service for ChatGPT, requiring advertisers to commit under $1 million during a trial phase [2][9] - The AI commercialization wave is driven by high operational costs and the need for profitability [5][12] Company Developments - OpenAI's advertising initiative will initially charge based on impressions, similar to Meta's advertising model, with potential future shifts to a cost-per-click model [2] - The advertising business at OpenAI is overseen by CEO Fidji Simo, who has a background in e-commerce and social media [2] - ChatGPT's operational costs are significant, with daily electricity costs nearing $700,000, leading to annual expenses exceeding $250 million [14] Industry Trends - AI technologies significantly impacted global retail, with an estimated $272 billion in retail sales influenced by AI during the last holiday season [4] - Companies like Alibaba and ByteDance are also investing heavily in AI and cloud computing, with Alibaba committing 380 billion yuan over five years [15] - The competitive landscape is evolving, with different companies adopting varied strategies for monetization, such as Google's partnership model and OpenAI's marketplace approach [17][18] User Experience and Trust Issues - Users are expressing discomfort with the integration of advertisements in AI interactions, feeling that the AI has shifted from a knowledgeable companion to a sales agent [10][21] - Concerns arise regarding the objectivity of AI responses when tasked with both answering questions and recommending products, as well as potential privacy issues related to user data [22]