As OpenAI starts testing ads inside ChatGPT on February 10, 2026, the move has triggered a sharp response from rival Anthropic. The Sam Altman-led company is showing ads to a limited group of free and Go users in the US.
In response, Anthropic has published a 1,000-plus-word blog post explaining why it believes advertising does not belong in AI conversations and why its chatbot Claude will remain ad-free.
In the blog, Anthropic says advertising works well on search engines and social media, where users expect sponsored content. However, the company argues that AI chats are different. According to Anthropic, users often share sensitive details, personal problems, or complex work tasks while using AI tools.
The statement describes the introduction of advertisements inside chats as an inapposite move. The growing back-and-forth between OpenAI and Anthropic has also drawn wider attention to how AI companies plan to use advertising.
Anthropic also warns that the use of ads could alter the AI's behaviour. The company further argues that the primary aim of the ads is to ensure users stay for a longer time.
However, this could potentially hinder the AI from being helpful. The company also argues that users should not doubt the intention behind the AI's suggestion. Is it to assist them or to sell a product to them? Anthropic further explains that this is a significant problem, especially when people now count on the AI as a kind of advisor.
Explaining Claude's business model, the company says it makes its money through subscriptions and business contracts as opposed to ads. The company says this allows it to improve Claude without selling user attention or data. While Anthropic says AI will support shopping and bookings in the future, it insists such actions should always be initiated by users.