OpenAI has disabled advertisements displayed within ChatGPT as the company addresses ways to enhance the AI's accuracy, according to its leading scientists.
Back in early December, an individual raised concerns over ChatGPT presenting an irrelevant Target advertisement during a discussion about Microsoft's BitLocker feature in Windows. In reply, OpenAI's Chief Research Officer, Mark Chen, indicated that the team would investigate the matter.
On Friday evening, Chen announced the temporary suspension of these ads. In a message shared on Twitter, now known as X, he stated, 'I agree that anything that feels like an ad needs to be handled with care, and we fell short.' He added, 'We’ve turned off this kind of suggestion while we improve the model’s precision. We’re also looking at better controls so you can dial this down or off if you don’t find it helpful.'
With large language models positioning themselves as search engine substitutes, their developers have struggled to find effective revenue streams from user interactions. For instance, Google Gemini employs an AI Mode that pulls in recommendations from external sources and compiles them, featuring small links to the original materials. Similarly, Microsoft's Copilot integrates advertisements from time to time, although they appear infrequently in my own experiences with searches.
This development was first covered by The Verge.
Mark has contributed to PCWorld over the past ten years, drawing on three decades of expertise in technology reporting. He has produced more than 3,500 pieces for PCWorld, focusing on areas such as PC processors, accessories, and Microsoft Windows, along with various other subjects. His work has appeared in outlets like PC Magazine, Byte, eWEEK, Popular Science, and Electronic Buyers' News, earning a Jesse H. Neal Award for distinguished breaking news coverage. Lately, he donated a assortment of several dozen Thunderbolt docking stations and USB-C hubs, as his workspace lacks additional storage space.