OpenAI has begun rolling out advertising inside ChatGPT, marking a shift for a service that has largely operated without traditional ads since its launch in 2022.
OpenAI said it is testing ads for logged-in Free and Go users in the United States, while paid tiers remain ad-free. The company said the test aims to fund broader access to advanced AI tools.
Ads appear outside ChatGPT responses and are clearly labelled as sponsored content, with no influence on answers. Placement is based on broad topics, with restrictions around sensitive areas such as health or politics.
Free users can opt out of ads by upgrading to a paid plan or by accepting fewer daily free messages in exchange for an ad-free experience. Users who allow ads can also opt out of ad personalisation, prevent past chats from being used for ad selection, and delete all ad-related history and data.
The rollout follows months of speculation after screenshots suggested that ads appeared in ChatGPT responses, which OpenAI described as suggestions. Rivals, including Anthropic, have contrasted their approach, promoting Claude as free from in-chat advertising.
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OpenAI said its new Codex Mac app has surpassed one million downloads just over a week after launch, with overall Codex usage rising by 60% following the release of GPT-5.3-Codex.
The strong uptake has prompted OpenAI to extend free access to Codex for Free and Go users beyond the initial launch promotion. Sam Altman said usage limits for lower tiers may be tightened, but access would remain available so more users can experiment and build.
Separately, OpenAI released a YouTube video showcasing a redesigned Deep Research interface, introducing a full-screen report viewer that opens research outputs in a separate window from the chat interface.
The updated layout includes a table of contents for navigation, hyperlinks, and anchor tags within reports, and a dedicated source panel for verification. Users can also download reports as PDF or Word files, while new controls allow research scopes and sources to be adjusted during generation.
The Deep Research updates are available to Plus and Pro users, with broader access expected soon. OpenAI also confirmed the changes in ChatGPT release notes on 10 February and announced a more minor GPT-5.2 update focused on more measured responses.
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OpenAI faced a wave of global complaints after many users struggled to access ChatGPT.
Reports began circulating in the US during the afternoon, with outage cases climbing to more than 12.000 in less than half an hour. Social media quickly filled with questions from people trying to determine whether the disruption was widespread or a local glitch.
Also, users in the UK reported complete failure to generate responses, yet access returned when they switched to a US-based VPN.
Other regions saw mixed results, as VPNs in Ireland, Canada, India and Poland allowed ChatGPT to function, although replies were noticeably slower instead of consistent.
OpenAI later confirmed that several services were experiencing elevated errors. Engineers identified the source of the disruption, introduced mitigations and continued monitoring the recovery.
The company stressed that users in many regions might still experience intermittent problems while the system stabilises rather than operating at full capacity.
In the following update, OpenAI announced that its systems were fully operational again.
The status page indicated that the affected services had recovered, and engineers were no longer aware of active issues. The company added that the underlying fault was addressed, with further safeguards being developed to prevent similar incidents.
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OpenAI has confirmed that several legacy AI models will be removed from ChatGPT, with GPT-4o scheduled for retirement on 13 February. The decision follows months of debate after the company reinstated the model amid strong user backlash.
Alongside GPT-4o, the models being withdrawn include GPT-5 Instant, GPT-5 Thinking, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and o4-mini. The changes apply only to ChatGPT, while developers will continue to access the models through OpenAI’s API.
GPT-4o had built a loyal following for its natural writing style and emotional awareness, with many users arguing newer models felt less expressive. When OpenAI first attempted to phase it out in 2025, widespread criticism prompted a temporary reversal.
Company data now suggests active use of GPT-4o has dropped to around 0.1% of daily users. OpenAI says features associated with the model have since been integrated into GPT-5.2, including personality tuning and creative response controls.
Despite this, criticism has resurfaced across social platforms, with users questioning usage metrics and highlighting that GPT-4o was no longer prominently accessible. Comments from OpenAI leadership acknowledging recent declines in writing quality have further fuelled concerns about the model’s removal.
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OpenAI has developed an internal AI data agent designed to help employees move from complex questions to reliable insights in minutes. The tool allows teams to analyse vast datasets using natural language instead of manual SQL-heavy workflows.
Across engineering, finance, research and product teams, the agent reduces friction by locating the right tables, running queries and validating results automatically. Built on GPT-5.2, it adapts as it works, correcting errors and refining its approach without constant human input.
Context plays a central role in the system’s accuracy, combining metadata, human annotations, code-level insights and institutional knowledge. A built-in memory function stores non-obvious corrections, helping the agent improve over time and avoid repeated mistakes.
To maintain trust, OpenAI evaluates the agent continuously using automated tests that compare generated results with verified benchmarks. Strong access controls and transparent reasoning ensure the system remains secure, reliable and aligned with existing data permissions.
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OpenAI has begun testing advertising placements inside ChatGPT, marking a shift toward monetising one of the world’s most widely used AI platforms. Sponsored content now appears below chatbot responses for free and low-cost users, integrating promotions directly into conversational queries.
Ads remain separate from organic answers, with OpenAI saying commercial content will not influence AI-generated responses. Users can see why specific ads appear, dismiss irrelevant placements, and disable personalisation. Advertising is excluded for younger users and sensitive topics.
Initial access is limited to enterprise partners, with broader availability expected later. Premium subscription tiers continue without ads, reflecting a freemium model similar to streaming platforms offering both paid and ad-supported options.
Pricing places ChatGPT ads among the most expensive digital formats. The value lies in reaching users at high-intent moments, such as during product research and purchase decisions. Measurement tools remain basic, tracking only impressions and clicks.
OpenAI’s move into advertising signals a broader shift as conversational AI reshapes how people discover information. Future performance data and targeting features will determine whether ChatGPT becomes a core ad channel or a premium niche format.
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OpenAI has launched Prism, a cloud-based LaTeX workspace designed to streamline the drafting, collaboration, and publication of academic papers. The tool integrates writing, citation management, real-time collaboration, and AI assistance into a single environment to reduce workflow friction.
Built specifically for scientific use, Prism embeds GPT-5.2 directly inside documents rather than as a separate chatbot. Researchers can rewrite sections, verify equations, test arguments, and clarify explanations without leaving the editing interface, positioning AI as a background collaborator.
Users can start new LaTeX projects or upload existing files through prism.openai.com using a ChatGPT account. Co-authors can join instantly, enabling simultaneous editing while maintaining structured formatting for equations, references, and manuscript layout.
OpenAI says Prism supports academic search, converts handwritten formulas into clean LaTeX, and allows voice-driven edits for faster reviews. Completed papers export as publication-ready PDFs alongside full source files.
Initially available for free to personal ChatGPT users, the workspace will later expand to Business, Enterprise, and Education plans. The company frames the tool as a practical productivity layer rather than a research disruption platform.
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A Chrome browser extension posing as an AI assistant has stolen OpenAI credentials from more than 10,000 users. Cybersecurity platform Obsidian identified the malicious software, known as H-Chat Assistant, which secretly harvested API keys and transmitted user data to hacker-controlled servers.
The extension, initially called ChatGPT Extension, appeared to function normally after users provided their OpenAI API keys. Analysts discovered that the theft occurred when users deleted chats or logged out, triggering the transmission of credentials via hardcoded Telegram bot credentials.
At least 459 unique API keys were exfiltrated to a Telegram channel months before they were discovered in January 2025.
Researchers believe the malicious activity began in July 2024 and continued undetected for months. Following disclosure to OpenAI on 13 January, the company revoked compromised API keys, though the extension reportedly remained available in the Chrome Web Store.
Security analysts identified 16 related extensions sharing the identical developer fingerprints, suggesting a coordinated campaign by a single threat actor.
LayerX Security consultant Natalie Zargarov warned that whilst current download numbers remain relatively low, AI-focused browser extensions could rapidly surge in popularity.
The malicious extensions exploit vulnerabilities in web-based authentication processes, creating, as researchers describe, a ‘materially expanded browser attack surface’ through deep integration with authenticated web applications.
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NVIDIA, Microsoft, and Amazon are in talks to invest up to $60 billion in OpenAI, valuing the company at around $730 billion. The talks highlight intensifying competition among technology giants to secure strategic positions in the rapidly expanding AI sector.
NVIDIA is said to be considering the largest commitment, potentially investing as much as $30 billion, while Microsoft may add less than $10 billion despite its long-standing partnership with OpenAI.
Amazon could contribute more than $10 billion, strengthening its cloud and infrastructure ties with the company as demand for large-scale AI computing continues to rise.
OpenAI and NVIDIA are advancing plans to deploy large-scale data centre capacity, with a multi-year rollout starting in late 2026. The project aims to deliver large-scale high-performance computing, supporting OpenAI’s push towards artificial general intelligence and global expansion.
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Worldcoin jumped 40% after reports that OpenAI is developing a biometric social platform to verify users and eliminate bots. The proposed network would reportedly integrate AI tools while relying on biometric identification to ensure proof of personhood.
Sources cited by Forbes claim the project aims to create a humans-only platform, differentiating itself from existing social networks, including X. Development is said to be led by a small internal team, with work reportedly underway since early 2025.
Biometric verification could involve Apple’s Face ID or the World Orb scanner, a device linked to the World project co-founded by OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman.
The report sparked a sharp rally in Worldcoin, though part of the gains later reversed amid wider market weakness. Despite the brief surge, Worldcoin has remained sharply lower over the past year amid weak market sentiment and ongoing privacy concerns.
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