#38 Society and Technology

Today, AI-powered chatbots that we increasingly rely on for information and conversation are on the verge of profoundly reshaping our consumption habits. One of the most concrete signs of this transformation emerged recently in a leaked image circulating on social media. It is claimed that code embedded in the beta version of ChatGPT is designed to convert its chat interface into an advertising platform. This leak has raised serious concerns among experts and users regarding ChatGPT’s fundamental reliability and neutrality.

When the internet first emerged, its core mission was to enable data sharing. Over time, however, one of its most revolutionary transformations was the migration of shopping practices onto its own platform. Today, the logic of commerce and advertising reshaped by the internet is entering a new era in the age of artificial intelligence. Now, there is growing debate over whether recommendations and responses generated by AI-based chatbots will directly become advertising content.

A critical example of this hypothetical scenario emerged recently through leaks on social media pointing to “AdTarget” codes within ChatGPT. However, to fully understand this development, we must examine its background—the corporate structure of OpenAI. Since OpenAI announced the ChatGPT model, one striking fact has drawn attention: approximately 620 employees hired by the company in recent months previously worked at technology giant Meta. As is well known, Meta is a company that stands out primarily for its advanced advertising algorithms and massive social media platforms.

Key figures such as Head of Applications Fidji Simo, Chief Technology Officer Vijaye Raji, and Head of Marketing Kate Rouch have brought to light the central claim that some of OpenAI’s recent strategies and initiatives clearly resemble tactics previously used by Meta to transform itself into a corporate behemoth.

OpenAI itself has also shifted its focus toward adopting a similarly massive commercial model, aiming to satisfy investors and justify its staggering $50 billion valuation acquired just months ago. This strategic direction naturally fuels concerns that Meta’s advertising-driven business model will be transferred to OpenAI. These leaks and corporate histories prompt users to ask: Will ChatGPT, originally designed as a multi-purpose tool, abandon its role as a trusted source of information and instead become a new channel for delivering targeted advertisements?

The latest information leaked from ChatGPT’s Android beta version indicates that OpenAI is actively transforming its chat interface into a fully functional advertising platform based directly on user requests and intentions. Internal code directories discovered in ChatGPT’s Android app version 1.2025.329 provide the clearest evidence of this shift. Expressions such as “bazaar content,” “search ad,” and “search ads carousel” confirm that OpenAI is actively testing sponsored product cards and scrollable ad carousel templates for search-engine-like responses.

Initial signals suggest that advertising mechanisms will initially focus on search results. This means advertisements will not be randomly inserted as banners into every conversation, but rather integrated directly into responses generated by retrieving information from the internet—in the form of sponsored answers or product rankings. Thus, ads will be presented to users not as conventional promotional formats, but as natural, embedded responses within the conversation. This approach aims to make advertising an inseparable part of the conversational experience.

The financial scale of this move is enormous. With approximately 800 million weekly users, 2.5 billion daily prompts, and an estimated 5 to 6 billion monthly visits, ChatGPT commands massive user traffic. Even a very low advertising load across such a vast volume could generate significant revenue for OpenAI. These leaks strongly reinforce the expectation that artificial intelligence will become the next major marketplace for digital advertising.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s apparent shift in stance on this issue is also noteworthy. Previously, during a program at Harvard University, he described ads as a “last resort” and characterized them as “uniquely annoying.”However, his recent statements suggest a change in perspective.

In a podcast, Altman said, “I find ads a bit unpleasant, but not a barrier… I like some ads. I have to give Meta a lot of credit—Instagram ads provide me with clear added value. I enjoy Instagram ads. It’s as if I didn’t even know I wanted this thing.”This statement gains significance when we consider the employees transferred from Meta.

Elon Musk continues to shake up the technology landscape. In his latest announcement on X, he claims that Grok will face Faker, the legend of esports and captain of T1, the reigning world champion team in League of Legends, next year. This event, which could be viewed as either a novelty exhibition match or a promotional stunt amid growing AI competition, will actually demonstrate the power of artificial intelligence and, specifically, the technique of Reinforcement Learning.

To better understand this matchup, it is worth briefly recalling 2019, when OpenAI Five defeated Dota 2 champions OG. At the time, OpenAI demonstrated that artificial intelligence could defeat humans in complex strategic games.However, the conditions Musk proposes for Grok place the challenge in a different category. Rather than directly accessing the game’s code, Grok will only process camera feeds and will not exceed human reaction speeds. This transforms the test from a pure “processing power” contest into a competition based more heavily on intelligence.

The real focus here is not the game’s score or outcome, but the underlying technology. Reinforcement Learning is a machine learning technique that trains software to make decisions that maximize desired outcomes. Language models like ChatGPT, which we use daily, are fundamentally based on text prediction. Reinforcement Learning, however, learns through trial and error toward a defined goal. It improves by simulating millions of scenarios, receiving rewards for correct moves and penalties for incorrect ones. Games like League of Legends, which involve “Fog of War” and other macro and micro mechanics requiring real-time decisions under incomplete information, provide an ideal laboratory for pushing the limits of these models.

For readers unfamiliar with gaming, here is why this matters. If an AI can collaborate effectively within a five-player team and develop strategy in a chaotic, dynamic environment like League of Legends, that capability can be adapted to the real world alongside robotics. The decision-making mechanisms developed in games can be applied to managing the chaos of financial markets, enabling autonomous vehicles to adapt to unpredictable human behavior on roads, and beyond. Grok’s test against T1 will offer compelling data on whether artificial intelligence can evolve beyond being merely an assistant and become an “agent” capable of navigating uncertainty. Regardless of the outcome, this process is highly likely to contribute significantly to research into Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).

During his first foreign visit to Türkiye, Pope Francis XIV made various assessments regarding global peace and regional developments. Another notable aspect of his remarks was his evaluation of artificial intelligence. Since his election in May 2025, the Pope has consistently addressed AI in his statements. In his official speech during the Türkiye visit, he emphasized the need to examine artificial intelligence from ethical and moral perspectives, warning that AI could reshape human preferences and deepen existing injustices if not guided within an ethical framework.He underscored this point.

Pope Francis XIV characterizes artificial intelligence as one of the transformative forces of our era, comparing this technological evolution to a second industrial revolution with strong historical parallels. It is said that the new Pope’s choice of the name Leo, following Francis, references Pope Leo XIII, who responded to the social and economic transformations of the industrial era. This further suggests that the age of artificial intelligence is expected to have societal impacts comparable to those of the industrial revolution. The Pope’s discourse can be interpreted as an attempt to position the papacy not merely as a theological authority but also as an active participant in broader social change processes.

Although the Pope’s engagement with AI may initially appear unusual and broad in scope, a closer reading reveals that this approach is superficial when viewed through the lens of the papacy’s religious authority. While a more systematic analysis would be expected, the focus on general societal impacts suggests the Pope is influenced by populist narratives surrounding AI.

Overall, the Vatican’s approach to artificial intelligence presents a cautious but not oppositional framework. This stance acknowledges AI’s inevitable transformative power in modern societies while advocating that this transformation be guided by human-centered values. Although this position does not introduce new ideas and thus invites criticism, initiating public discourse on these issues may pave the way for deeper and more authentic discussions in the future. Moreover, the Pope’s engagement with timely, agenda-setting topics like AI can be interpreted as a sign of the papacy’s intention to expand its political and social influence.

Beyond this, it is reasonable to expect that all religious institutions and authorities will increasingly incorporate the impact of artificial intelligence and technological advances on human life and society into their agendas. The critical issue, however, will be the depth and authenticity of their engagement. Superficial evaluations signal a failure to fully comprehend these developments, and their interpretations remain little more than wishful thinking.