Advertisers salivate over thought of AI-embedded adsAFP, PARISThe introduction of advertisements and sponsored content in chatbots has spawned privacy concerns for artificial intelligence (AI) users as brands scramble to stay relevant in a fast-changing online environment. ChatGPT developer OpenAI began showing ads in chatbot conversations for free and low-cost users to start balancing its hundreds of billions in spending commitments with new revenue sources. AI search engine Perplexity Inc has been testing ads in the US since 2024, while Alphabet Inc’s Google is testing ads in the AI “overviews” its namesake search engine has been offering since last year. AI companies are “concerned that selling ads will scare away users,” US data firm Emarketer analyst Nate Elliott said. The practice is known as GEO (generative engine optimization) — an evolution of the Search Engine Optimization strategy during the era of Google’s dominance over the Web.

Source: Taipei Times February 15, 2026 17:15 UTC