ChatGPT to add ads on free and low-cost tiers; Anthropic’s Amanda Askell on Claude Constitution

OpenAI is introducing ads to ChatGPT’s free and low-cost subscription tiers, a development discussed on the New York Times technology podcast Hard Fork in an episode published Jan. 23, 2026.

The episode explains what the ads will look like, why OpenAI is taking this approach and whether the company can court advertising dollars without compromising quality and user trust. Amanda Askell, described on the show as Anthropic’s in-house philosopher in charge of shaping Claude’s personality, joined to discuss Anthropic’s newly released 'Claude Constitution' and what it takes to teach a chatbot to be good.

The episode was hosted by Kevin Roose and Casey Newton and notes a bonus YouTube tutorial for getting started with Claude Code. The podcast also points listeners to further reading, including pieces titled 'OpenAI Starts Testing Ads in ChatGPT' and 'Claude’s Constitution,' and examines the questions around ads and user trust.

Key Topics

Tech, Openai, Chatgpt, Anthropic, Claude Constitution, Amanda Askell