How ChatGPT Targets Ads To You Based On Your Prompts, Phone Number, and Email

Advertisers can now target you with ads on ChatGPT using your email, phone number, and even your chat prompts. Your ChatGPT activity may be used for ad targeting even if you opt out of personalization.

OpenAI is allowing advertisers to target specific ChatGPT users based on uploaded personal data like email addresses and phone numbers, as well as user prompts. Advertisers can create audiences of over 25,000 users by uploading raw or hashed emails and phone numbers, or Android advertising IDs. Context hints can also be used to target ads based on conversation topics. While ChatGPT's ad personalization can be opted out of, ads may still be shown based on current chats. Companies are emerging that catalog which ads are served for specific prompts within ChatGPT, revealing the targeting mechanisms.

OpenAI's advertising strategy signals a move towards monetizing its massive user base by integrating traditional ad-targeting methods into a novel AI interface. This approach leverages user data, including chat content, to create personalized advertising experiences, mirroring practices of established tech giants but within a context where users might assume greater privacy. The ability for advertisers to upload extensive lists of personal identifiers and use conversational context hints suggests a sophisticated, albeit potentially intrusive, advertising ecosystem is rapidly developing.

The implications for user privacy are significant, as personal data shared in prompts, previously assumed to be private, can now directly influence ad delivery. While OpenAI states uploaded data is deleted and users can opt-out of personalization, the residual use of current chats for ad targeting and the opaque nature of data handling raise concerns. The emergence of third-party services cataloging ChatGPT ads further underscores the developing complexities and potential vulnerabilities in the platform's privacy controls.