ChatGPT now shows ads in SA. How to turn off personalised ads

ChatGPT users in South Africa on the Free and Go plans can now see ads in the app. OpenAI added South Africa to a 26-country ad rollout on 21 October 2026, taking ChatGPT Ads to 89 countries (OpenAI).

Paying for Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise or Edu keeps your account ad-free (OpenAI Help Center). South African users were told ads were coming in an email this week (MyBroadband).

Who will see ChatGPT ads in South Africa?

Only adults on the Free and Go plans. OpenAI says it does not show ads to accounts it identifies as belonging to someone under 18, using the age on the account and its own age prediction (OpenAI Help Center).

What do the ads look like?

They appear below ChatGPT's answer, not inside it. Each one shows the advertiser's name and logo, a headline, a short description, an image and a link (OpenAI Help Center). OpenAI says ads are clearly labelled, kept separate from the answer and do not change what ChatGPT tells you (OpenAI).

The company says ads are not eligible to appear near sensitive or regulated topics (OpenAI).

Can advertisers read my chats?

No, according to OpenAI. It says conversations are kept private from advertisers and it does not sell user data (OpenAI).

Ads are matched to what you are talking about in the current chat. If ad personalisation is on, OpenAI can also use signals from your wider ChatGPT use, such as other chats and topics (OpenAI Help Center).

How do I turn off personalised ads?

Go to Settings, then Ads controls in ChatGPT. Free and Go users can (OpenAI Help Center):

• turn off ad personalisation
• clear the data used for ads
• see why a particular ad was shown
• hide an ad or report it through the ••• menu on the ad

Switching personalisation off does not remove ads. You will still get ads based on the chat you are in, but not on your other chats or ad history (OpenAI Help Center). If the setting is missing on your phone, update the ChatGPT app.

Can South African businesses advertise on ChatGPT?

Yes. OpenAI says advertisers in the new countries can buy through technology partners or its self-service Ads Manager (OpenAI). Campaigns can be billed per thousand views or per click, and OpenAI suggests starting at US$3 to US$5 per click (OpenAI Help Center). More than 100,000 advertisers have run ChatGPT campaigns since ads launched about eight months ago (OpenAI).