OpenAI is starting to test advertising in ChatGPT. This ad option would be a potential channel for brands to reach audiences inside conversational AI. OpenAI advertising remains early, limited, and not quite right for all brands.
Learn what brand and advertising marketers need to know about who ChatGPT ads may benefit, why most brands should wait, and what unanswered questions remain.
What Is OpenAI Advertising in ChatGPT
OpenAI plans to test ads at the bottom of ChatGPT that are directly related to a user’s conversation. Industry communications suggest these ad options may begin this month, though availability is expected to be restricted.
Early access is limited to managed service agreements and includes very large minimum spend requirements, possibly at least $1M. A self-service buying platform will not be available to start.
Ads are expected to appear only to logged-in adult users on the free version of ChatGPT and on ChatGPT Go, the $8 per month subscription tier in the United States. Higher-priced subscriptions, including enterprise plans, are expected to remain ad-free for now.
Who the ChatGPT Ad Audience Includes
ChatGPT advertisers are expected to lean more toward users researching, learning, and exploring rather than those making purchase decisions in the moment.
Those who use the free plan often include students, job seekers, consumers comparing options, and individuals seeking explanations or guidance on unfamiliar topics.
ChatGPT Go subscribers tend to be more frequent users who are looking for faster access and fewer limits. Go subscribers include professionals, marketers, developers, and small business owners who use ChatGPT to support their daily work and planning.
Users of higher-priced ChatGPT subscriptions include the professionals listed above, but they are more focused on productivity, internal workflows, and proprietary use cases and are generally excluded from advertising.
OpenAI Advertising Could Be Valuable for Some Brands
ChatGPT’s advertising strength is contextual relevance. Ads will appear when users are actively asking questions, researching options, or forming opinions, which offers an opportunity to influence awareness and consideration early in the decision journey.
The ad placement may also reach users in the education and learning phase, when intent is forming, allowing brands to shape understanding and consideration before preferences are set.
As a result, OpenAI advertising is best positioned as an upper to mid-funnel placement focused on education and brand awareness. It should be viewed as complementary to programmatic display and content-driven media, not as a replacement for paid search or conversion-focused channels.
Why OpenAI Ads Are Not a Fit for Most Advertisers Today
Despite the long-term potential, current limitations make ChatGPT advertising a cautious test rather than a scalable solution.
CPMs are reported to be extremely high, approximately $60, placing the channel alongside premium live sports inventory. Measurement is limited to impressions and clicks, with no conversion tracking, attribution, or pixel-based reporting available. Think Netflix ad buys.
Targeting capabilities are unknown. Early testing is expected to begin with country-level targeting only, with no confirmed support for geographic, behavioral, or audience-based targeting.
Regulated industry marketers in Pharma, Healthcare, and Financial Services should be cautious, as they must ensure compliance with specific requirements and brand safety controls, such as the types of content they appear next to.
Combined with high costs and limited transparency, these factors make OpenAI advertising impractical for most performance-driven advertisers at this stage.
More Questions About OpenAI Advertising
Advertisers are awaiting clarity on how targeting controls will develop, what brand safety tools will be available, what reporting will be offered, or how OpenAI will balance monetization with user trust over time.
According to OpenAI private conversation data will not be shared with advertisers and ads will not appear in sensitive categories such as mental health or for users under 18. Beyond those guardrails, many operational details are still developing.
Vision Media’s Perspective on ChatGPT Ads
Marketers should consider ChatGPT advertising as an experimental, premium, upper-funnel placement. It is not designed to drive immediate conversions or replace established performance media.
For most brands, the cost, limited measurement, and lack of control outweigh the near-term value.
The smarter approach today is to monitor the space closely, understand how it could fit within a broader media strategy, and be prepared to test media buying once the product matures and access expands.
OpenAI Advertising FAQ
- Is OpenAI advertising available to all advertisers?
No. Early testing is expected to be limited to select advertisers through managed service agreements with very large minimum commitments. - Can ChatGPT ads replace Google Ads or paid search?
No. ChatGPT ads are best suited for awareness and consideration. They do not function like intent-driven search advertising. - What metrics are available for OpenAI advertising?
Current reporting is limited to impressions and clicks. Conversion tracking and attribution are not available at this time. - Who will see ads in ChatGPT?
Ads are expected to appear only for logged-in adult users on the free version of ChatGPT and on ChatGPT Go. Higher-priced subscriptions are expected to remain ad-free. - Is ChatGPT advertising appropriate for regulated industries?
That remains unclear. Until stronger compliance and brand safety controls are confirmed, regulated advertisers should proceed with caution.
Disclaimer: Content in this POV reflects current industry reporting and early market signals (2/2/2026), not finalized OpenAI product specifications. All details should be considered directional and may change as the product matures. OpenAI official statement: https://openai.com/index/our-approach-to-advertising-and-expanding-access/
