ChatGPT Ads Arrive in Pakistan: What Free Users Need to Know

ChatGPT ads have started appearing in Pakistan, as OpenAI expands sponsored content to users in the country.

The company announced the expansion on October 21, 2026, making Pakistan one of 26 additional countries where ChatGPT advertising is available. The service now supports ads in 89 countries worldwide.

ChatGPT ads: who will see them

Ads will only appear for users on ChatGPT's Free and Go plans. Paid subscribers on Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu plans will keep using the service without advertisements.

OpenAI says ads are restricted to eligible adult users. Accounts identified as belonging to people under 18 will not receive ads, and the company blocks ads alongside sensitive conversations involving personal health, mental health and political topics.

OpenAI also offers an ad-free option for eligible Free users with reduced usage limits, though availability varies by account and region.

How ChatGPT picks which ads to show

Unlike traditional ads that rely mainly on browsing activity, ChatGPT ads can use the context of the current conversation to select relevant sponsored content.

For example, someone discussing smartphones may see ads related to mobile devices, while a conversation about travel could lead to sponsored travel services. The ads appear separately below ChatGPT's responses, not inside the AI-generated answers.

If ad personalization is switched on, ChatGPT may also consider information from previous conversations and how users interact with ads. Users with ChatGPT Memory enabled may have relevant memories and recent conversations factored in. OpenAI stresses that ads do not affect the answers ChatGPT generates.

Can advertisers read your chats?

OpenAI says advertisers cannot access users' conversations, chat history, memories or personal information, and that it does not sell user data to advertisers.

Advertisers only receive combined performance statistics, such as how many people viewed or clicked their ads. ChatGPT uses relevant information internally to choose ads without sharing the underlying conversations.

One exception: if a user directly messages an advertiser through an ad, that advertiser can see the messages the user chooses to send.

How to control ChatGPT ads

Pakistani users who do not want previous conversations or memories used for advertising can turn off ad personalization. Open ChatGPT, sign in, go to Settings, select Ad Controls, find the ad personalization option and switch it off.

Turning it off stops ChatGPT using previous conversations, ad history and other personalization signals to pick ads, but it does not remove ads entirely. Users may still see ads matched to the topic of the current conversation. The same menu lets users clear data used for advertising.

Users can also hide individual ads through the three-dot menu, choosing Hide this ad, marking it Not relevant to me, or reporting it. Another option is Temporary Chat, where OpenAI says no ads appear at all.

Frequently asked questions

Which ChatGPT users in Pakistan will see ads? Users on the Free and Go plans who are adults. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu subscribers will not see ChatGPT ads, and under-18 accounts are excluded.

How does ChatGPT choose which ads to show me? ChatGPT ads are matched mainly to the topic of your current conversation, and appear below the AI's responses. With personalization on, previous chats and memories may also influence the selection.

Can advertisers read my ChatGPT conversations? No. OpenAI says advertisers cannot access conversations, history, memories or personal information, and it does not sell user data.

How do I turn off personalized ChatGPT ads? Go to Settings, then Ad Controls, and turn off the ad personalization option. This stops the use of past conversations and memories for ad selection, though topical ads may still appear.

How can I avoid ChatGPT ads completely? Use Temporary Chat, where OpenAI says advertisements do not appear, or switch to a paid plan such as Plus.