OpenAI CEO Sam Altman declared a "code red" to prioritize improving ChatGPT's core user experience, focusing on personalization, faster and more reliable responses, and expanding the range of questions it can answer. This shift means delaying other planned projects like ad integration, AI-powered shopping tools, and the ChatGPT Pulse personal assistant. While OpenAI has not officially commented on the memo, ChatGPT Head Nick Turley emphasized continuing to enhance ChatGPT's capabilities, global access, and intuitive, personal feel. Turley also claimed ChatGPT now accounts for roughly 10% of search activity, though the exact scope is unclear.
ChatGPT Advertising Plans
Although OpenAI has publicly introduced AI shopping agents and Pulse, it has not formally announced plans to integrate ads into ChatGPT. However, references to potential ad integrations were found in the ChatGPT Android app code by engineer Tibor Blaho. Reports indicate OpenAI is testing various ad formats, including online shopping ads. Altman stated in October that there were "no current plans" for ads but did not rule out future possibilities. Turley mentioned in August that ads are not categorically excluded but would require thoughtful and tasteful implementation.
Google’s Gemini 3
Google launched Gemini 3, its latest AI model, last month. It outperformed rival models from OpenAI and Anthropic in several benchmarks and received high praise for creative writing and its Nano Banana Pro image generator. Salesforce CEO Marc Beinoff praised Gemini 3, saying he would switch from ChatGPT after using it. Altman also publicly congratulated Google on Gemini 3, calling it a "great model."
