Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis has expressed his surprise regarding OpenAI's decision to integrate advertisements into its AI chatbot. Speaking at Davos, Hassabis revealed that while Google is carefully considering the role of ads in monetizing AI services, his team is not facing immediate pressure to make hasty decisions, despite advertising being central to Google’s primary business model.

Hassabis's comments come after OpenAI announced it would begin testing ads to generate revenue from its large base of active users who do not subscribe to a paid service. While acknowledging that ads have significantly funded the consumer internet and can be useful when executed well, Hassabis questioned their suitability for AI assistants. He emphasized the importance of trust in an assistant, wondering how ads would fit into a model where the technology is meant to be a helpful, personal tool.

Google, for its part, has