OpenAI is establishing a dedicated "ads integrity" team to ensure that advertisements integrated into ChatGPT do not undermine user trust or safety as the company prepares for its highly anticipated rollout of advertising. A job listing posted in late January revealed the company is hiring a software engineer for a "0 → 1" role—meaning a team being built from the ground up—focused on creating systems that allow OpenAI’s ad business to scale responsibly. The role involves designing technical safeguards to prevent harmful, misleading, or fraudulent ads from appearing within ChatGPT. The team will be tasked with developing "know your customer" (KYC) systems to verify the identities of advertisers and assess their risk profiles. KYC, a standard practice in finance, is critical for detecting and blocking scam ads and other malicious content, especially on self-service ad platforms where bad actors can easily sign up. This move comes as OpenAI confirmed it will soon begin testing ads in the free version of ChatGPT and its Go tier in the United States. The test is expected to roll out in the coming weeks, with a minimum ad spend of $200,000 required for participation—aligning with earlier reports from Adweek. OpenAI will initially track clicks and impressions, but plans to expand its measurement capabilities as the program evolves. The need for such a team is underscored by past challenges faced by other tech giants. A recent Reuters investigation found that Meta removed over 134 million scam ads in 2025, highlighting the scale of the threat. As OpenAI enters the ad space, it must balance monetization with maintaining the credibility of its AI-generated responses. Ariella Garcia, chief operating officer of the Check My Ads Institute, noted that while KYC is a solid starting point, the real test will be how deeply OpenAI invests in integrity systems beyond the initial launch. "The material risk of scam ads may be lower at first, but the long-term impact on brand trust could be significant," she said. The ads integrity team will also help determine where and how ads are displayed within ChatGPT, ensuring they are relevant and non-intrusive. As OpenAI moves forward, it will need to prove to advertisers that AI-integrated ads can deliver measurable results—essential for gaining traction in a competitive digital advertising market. While OpenAI has not commented directly on the job listing, the hiring initiative signals a proactive approach to building a responsible and sustainable ad ecosystem.