ChatGPT广告代码泄露！奥特曼一年三变脸：从“广告令人不安”到“并非完全不可取”

Core Viewpoint - OpenAI is preparing to monetize ChatGPT through advertising, as indicated by the discovery of ad-related code in the Android app, marking a significant shift in its operational strategy [1][11]. Group 1: Advertising Implementation - The code in the ChatGPT Android app reveals multiple references to advertising features, including "ads feature," "bazaar content," and "search ads carousel," suggesting at least three different advertising formats [12][13]. - The advertising formats include search ads targeting specific queries, a carousel format for multiple ads, and a marketplace-style content display for promoting products or services [18]. Group 2: Financial Pressures - OpenAI faces substantial financial pressures, with estimates suggesting that operating ChatGPT could require several hundred billion dollars annually just to maintain its computational infrastructure [8]. - Current revenue from ChatGPT Plus subscriptions and API licensing is insufficient to cover these operational costs, leading to projections of continued losses exceeding $100 billion by 2029 [9][10]. Group 3: User Engagement and Trust - ChatGPT has achieved a remarkable user base, with 800 million active users weekly and 2.5 billion daily interactions, a sevenfold increase from 100 million users in November 2023 [14]. - The potential for advertising revenue is significant, even without considering the advanced contextual understanding of large models, as traditional internet advertising revenue can be estimated using active user numbers and average ad impressions [15][16]. Group 4: Leadership Perspectives - OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, has expressed concerns about balancing profitability with user trust, questioning the ethics of paid rankings in search results [17][20]. - Altman believes that if ChatGPT can provide the best answers without bias from paid advertisements, it could maintain user trust, suggesting a model where commissions are earned from bookings rather than direct ad placements [22]. Group 5: Organizational Influence - There are indications that OpenAI's shift towards advertising is influenced by the hiring of former Meta employees, who are accustomed to a business model heavily reliant on ad revenue [23]. - User feedback suggests that some believe advertising is already present in ChatGPT, with internal discussions at OpenAI considering the integration of ads based on user interactions and preferences [25].