A surprising recommendation from ChatGPT for a Peloton application during a user interaction sparked concern among OpenAI’s customer base. Many individuals expressed worry that advertisements were being introduced, even for those with paid subscriptions. OpenAI subsequently explained that the app suggestion wasn’t a paid advertisement, but rather an initial, unsuccessful attempt to incorporate a feature for discovering applications directly within conversations.

Yuchen Jin, co-founder of the AI startup Hyberbolic, shared a screenshot on X – a post that has garnered close to 462,000 views – illustrating ChatGPT’s unsolicited suggestion to connect with the Peloton app during a conversation unrelated to fitness. Jin further highlighted that he was a subscriber to ChatGPT’s Pro Plan, which costs $200 monthly, and therefore shouldn’t be presented with advertisements.

The post quickly circulated and was saved numerous times on X, attracting significant attention as it appeared to signal that OpenAI was experimenting with embedding advertisements into its premium service. Users voiced their dissatisfaction, emphasizing that paying customers shouldn’t encounter such app recommendations.

One user also mentioned experiencing persistent recommendations for Spotify, despite being a subscriber to Apple Music.

Daniel McAuley, OpenAI’s data lead for ChatGPT, later responded to the discussion, clarifying that the Peloton suggestion was simply a recommendation to install the app and did not involve any financial arrangement.

He acknowledged, however, that the suggestion’s lack of connection to the ongoing conversation created a poor and confusing user experience, and that OpenAI was actively refining both the suggestions themselves and the overall user interface.

A company representative also confirmed to TechCrunch that the instances users observed were part of OpenAI’s testing of methods for presenting apps within ChatGPT conversations. They referenced OpenAI’s October announcement regarding its new app platform, stating that apps would be designed to “fit naturally” into user interactions.

“Users can find [apps] when ChatGPT suggests them at an appropriate moment, or by specifically requesting them by name. Apps respond to natural language and offer interactive interfaces directly within the chat,” the announcement explained.

However, this didn’t seem to be the case in this situation, as the user reported that the conversation wasn’t focused on health or fitness. Instead, they were discussing a podcast featuring Elon Musk and his company xAI. The inclusion of Peloton in this context was considered unhelpful and disruptive.

Even if the app suggestion had been relevant to the conversation, users might still have perceived it as an advertisement, given that it directed them toward a commercial product. Furthermore, the inability to disable these app suggestions contributed to a feeling of intrusion.

This negative user feedback could potentially impact OpenAI’s ambition to offer an alternative to the traditional App Store experience, and apps that operate on mobile devices, by integrating apps directly within ChatGPT. If users are unwilling to accept app suggestions, they may opt for competing chatbot services.

Currently, ChatGPT apps are accessible to logged-in users outside of the EU, Switzerland, and the U.K., and these integrations are still undergoing pilot testing. OpenAI is collaborating with a variety of app developers, including Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Figma, Expedia, Zillow, and others.