OpenAI's New Revenue Stream: AI-Powered Online Advertising

OpenAI is exploring a partnership with Shopify that would see it receive a cut of any sales resulting from recommendations provided by ChatGPT. The deal could create a new revenue stream for OpenAI and more online traffic for Shopify. However, it may also incentivize OpenAI to push products over objective recommendations, potentially leading to a decline in ChatGPT's quality. To avoid this, OpenAI may use persuasive techniques, such as metacognition, to influence users' behavior.

OpenAI, a leading AI company, is exploring a strategic partnership with Shopify, one of the world’s largest e-commerce platforms. The reported deal would see OpenAI receive a percentage of any Shopify sales that result from recommendations provided by ChatGPT, its advanced language model. This arrangement could create a new revenue stream for OpenAI and increase online traffic for Shopify [1].

However, the partnership raises concerns about the potential impact on ChatGPT’s objectivity. If OpenAI becomes incentivized to push products over objective recommendations, it could lead to a decline in the quality of ChatGPT’s service. To mitigate this risk, OpenAI may employ persuasive techniques, such as metacognition, to subtly influence users’ behavior [1].

Metacognition, the ability to think about thinking, is crucial in the world of sales. When a customer has high metacognition skills, they are more likely to be skeptical of sales tactics, making them harder to persuade. Conversely, a salesperson with high metacognition can better understand a customer’s perspective and make a sale [1].

AI, particularly large language models like ChatGPT, has an advantage in metacognition. ChatGPT can know more about a topic than an average person and can mimic a salesperson’s behavior by mirroring a user’s personality. This capability allows ChatGPT to be more persuasive, potentially influencing users to make purchases [1].

Moreover, the partnership between OpenAI and Shopify is not isolated. It reflects the broader trend of AI companies exploring new revenue streams to offset the high costs of developing and maintaining advanced AI systems. Companies like OpenAI are investing billions in hardware and talent, necessitating new ways to generate income [1].

While product recommendations from ChatGPT can be helpful, the primary motivation for AI companies is not necessarily to suggest products that users genuinely want. Instead, it is to encourage purchases, regardless of the product. This dynamic underscores the financial pressures driving these partnerships [1].

In a separate development, Elon Musk’s AI startup, xAI, has won a court order temporarily blocking a former xAI engineer from working on or even communicating about AI technology with his new employer, OpenAI. This lawsuit highlights the intense competition among major technology companies to gain AI market share and hire talent [2].

The case underscores the legal and ethical challenges faced by AI companies as they navigate the complex landscape of AI development and commercialization. As AI technology continues to evolve, so too will the strategies and partnerships employed by companies to leverage its potential.

References:
[1] https://theconversation.com/openai-looks-to-online-advertising-deal-ai-driven-ads-will-be-hard-for-consumers-to-spot-264377
[2] https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/musks-xai-wins-early-order-blocking-engineer-sharing-tech-with-openai-2025-09-03/