By Krystal Scanlon • June 8, 2026 •
Weeks after OpenAI started laying the foundations for running ads in ChatGPT in Europe, it has now started putting up the walls, specifically around how those ads will comply with the region’s privacy laws.
In the latest update to its EU ads policy, which was added on June 2, OpenAI states that it will only serve ads to users who have explicitly opted in, and in turn that it will rely on that consent as the legal basis for processing personal data rather than “legitimate interest” — the broader, more contested basis some companies use to run targeted advertising without asking users directly.
Under the General Data Protection Regulation, that distinction matters since consent requires a clear, affirmative action from the user, and can be withdrawn at any time.
“Your consent, for Free and Go users, when we ask for it to personalize the ads you see,” the policy states.
