OpenAI is introducing visual display ads to its advertising offerings, allowing ads to show up next to images generated by ChatGPT. These new ads are set to launch later this month, initially in the U.S., featuring products and services from a selected group of advertisers.
The company emphasizes that the ads will be clearly marked and will not affect the responses provided by ChatGPT. Once implemented globally, these ads will enable advertisers to reach ChatGPT’s 1.2 billion weekly users, facilitating targeted advertising based on user engagement.
This introduction of visual ads comes after the debut of Meta’s Muse, a free agentic AI application that is emerging as a competitor to leading AI chatbots like ChatGPT. OpenAI first rolled out ads earlier this year to support its free and low-cost subscription options, with an expansion into India in August.
In addition to the display ads, OpenAI is enhancing its ad measurement tools and partnerships, which now feature click attribution solutions such as AppsFlyer, Triple Whale, Adjust, DV Rockerbox, Northbeam, Branch, Singular, Kochava, Airbridge, and Tenjin, alongside full-funnel, advanced measurement partners like Fospha, Measured, and INCRMNTAL.
Moreover, OpenAI is partnering with Haus, Measured, and WorkMagic to explore geo-based advertising experiments. The company is also in the process of developing brand suitability evaluation pilots with assistance from DoubleVerify (DV) and Integral Ad Science (IAS), aimed at helping advertisers navigate the ChatGPT ads ecosystem more effectively.
The introduction of visual display ads may impact user engagement, especially as OpenAI seeks to balance ad revenue with user satisfaction and the competitive landscape posed by alternatives like Meta’s Muse.
