Anyone can run ads into ChatGPT sessions using a phone number or email address, according to 404 Media journalists.

Journalist Joseph Cox from 404 Media reports on an investigation revealing that advertisers—or anyone with just five minutes to spare—can inject advertisements into ChatGPT sessions using a user's phone number or email address. He conducted his own ad tests within the system without utilizing other people's personal data. The author notes that most ChatGPT users may not realize their ads originate from someone uploading their phone number, and mentions new research indicating online ads are being used to deploy zero-click employment bot malware.