OpenAI has disabled app suggestion features in ChatGPT following user complaints that the prompts appeared similar to advertisements, according to TechCrunch AI.
The company’s chief research officer acknowledged that OpenAI “fell short” with the recent promotional messages, per the report. Despite the backlash, OpenAI maintains that ChatGPT currently contains no advertisements and is not running any advertising tests.
The app suggestions that were removed had prompted concerns among users who perceived them as a shift toward ad-supported features in the AI chatbot. OpenAI’s decision to turn off these suggestions came after the promotional messages drew criticism from the ChatGPT user community.
While OpenAI has been exploring various monetization strategies for its popular AI assistant, the company continues to emphasize that its current business model does not include advertising. The incident highlights the fine line between feature recommendations and promotional content in AI products, and how users may perceive such suggestions as stepping into advertising territory even when companies claim otherwise.