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OpenAI to expand ads targeting free users via updated privacy policy
Cookies-based tracking to power ads, chats remain private, opt-out available.
MUMBAI: Your chats may stay hush-hush, but your clicks are about to get chatty. OpenAI is stepping up its advertising play, signalling a sharper focus on monetising free users through targeted ads across the web. The shift follows updates to its privacy policy in the United States, with the company informing users that cookies will now be used to promote its services on third-party platforms.
The move draws a clear line between conversation and conversion. While OpenAI has reiterated that ChatGPT interactions remain private and are not shared with advertisers, user behaviour captured through cookies and device identifiers will help shape how and where its ads appear outside the platform.
In practical terms, this means browsing activity linked to OpenAI’s services could be used to market products such as ChatGPT and Codex, as well as measure campaign effectiveness. For instance, the company may track whether a user signs up for a service after seeing an advertisement on platforms like Instagram.
The feature is already tilted towards scale. Marketing settings are reportedly enabled by default for free-tier users, while remaining opt-in or disabled for paid subscriptions such as Plus and Enterprise. Users can, however, switch off tracking through the Data Controls and Marketing Privacy settings within ChatGPT.
This push comes alongside OpenAI’s broader experimentation with advertising formats inside its ecosystem. Earlier this year, the company began placing ads at the bottom of chatbot responses for users in the US, an early signal of how generative AI platforms may blend utility with monetisation.
Importantly, OpenAI maintains that it does not share user conversations or sensitive content with marketing partners. Instead, it works with limited identifiers such as cookie IDs or email-linked signals to deliver and evaluate ads without exposing personal dialogue.
The updated policy also expands disclosure around how personal data is used for marketing, clarifying that certain identifiers may be shared with partners to promote OpenAI’s services beyond its own platforms.
As rivals like Google explore similar ad integrations within AI experiences, OpenAI’s latest move underscores a broader industry shift: the race to make AI not just smarter, but commercially sustainable, one targeted click at a time.
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BLS International launches #VisaReady campaign to guide applicants
Initiative targets visa myths, delays and rejections with practical guidance
MUMBAI: Visa woes may soon meet their match because paperwork, it seems, is finally getting a user manual. BLS International has rolled out a new awareness drive, #VisaReadyWithBLSInternational, aimed at simplifying the often confusing visa application process and reducing delays caused by misinformation and incomplete documentation. The campaign, led across social media platforms, zeroes in on a long-standing pain point for travellers: lack of clarity around procedures, timelines and requirements. By offering step-by-step guidance, documentation checklists and clear Dos and Don’ts, the initiative attempts to turn what is typically a stressful process into a more predictable one.
At its core, the campaign also seeks to bust common myths that frequently derail applications issues that often lead to avoidable rejections or last-minute complications. The idea is to equip applicants with practical, actionable insights so they can plan better and submit stronger applications within expected timelines.
The push will not remain limited to digital channels. BLS International plans to extend the initiative across its Visa Application Centres globally, reinforcing awareness at key touchpoints where applicants engage with the process.
BLS International joint managing director Shikhar Aggarwal framed the campaign as more than a communication exercise, emphasising the company’s attempt to embed guidance and preparedness into every stage of the applicant journey.
Operating in over 70 countries and working with more than 46 client governments including embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions, the company has built a sizeable footprint in visa and consular services. With this campaign, it is now leaning into education as much as execution, signalling that in the world of visas, clarity might just be the new currency.
