ChatGPT ads are officially in production! Everyone is abuzz with the excitement of having a new revenue channel at their fingertips on one of the most popular AI search platforms.
But what’s in store with ChatGPT ads?
I’ll break it down for you here:
What is ChatGPT advertising?
ChatGPT advertising is OpenAI’s upcoming way of monetizing its free user base by displaying sponsored content within the platform. While still in development, ads are expected to roll out by February 2026, with OpenAI projecting nearly $25 billion in revenue from this channel by 2029.
Where is ChatGPT advertising now?
In development.
As of January 2026, ChatGPT has begun its launch of advertisements. It’s currently looking for a small pool of advertisers with ~$1 million in spending commitments to start launching their advertising program.
What will ads look like on ChatGPT?
In OpenAI’s approach to advertising press release, they gave a mockup of how the ads are expected to look out the gate:
As you can see from the picture, these ads are expected to appear at the bottom of the chat, after someone has asked ChatGPT a question.
The most interesting aspect of this ad set up is that, when a user clicks on the ad, they’re able to go and have a “conversation” with the brand that’s advertising.
So, as you can see with this example, when the user clicks on the ad, they’re now having a conversation about planning a trip to Santa Fe with the advertiser Pueblo & Pine. This is something extremely revolutionary in the advertising world, as no other advertiser has created a setup where you can “converse” with the advertiser.
How much will ChatGPT ads cost?
The cost of ChatGPT is a hot button issue. The latest buzz is that ChatGPT ads will function on a pay-per-view, impression-based model — not a pay-per-click model.
A recent report states that OpenAI is aiming for ~$60 per 1,000 impressions with ChatGPT ads. For reference, it’s more than Meta’s (Facebook), which is $20-$25 at most.
This pricing model and approach is problematic for advertisers for two reasons:
- CPM models don’t drive as quality of leads: We know there are good leads on ChatGPT, but this current model will make it hard to capture them — PPC models are better for that. Paying per impressions means you get a lot of not-so-quality traffic, which can make your investment less worth it.
- ROI could be shaky: On top of the lack of leads, the cost is high compared to other platforms that offer impression models. That means there may be little room for a good ROI with the current ad model.
How will ChatGPT ad auctions work?
Based on its job openings and team of advertising veterans, which ranges from Google to X, we can guess ChatGPT will re-use some familiar ad functions. Besides being proven, these advertising features are also familiar to advertisers, which can help with adoption:
- Audience targeting, such as customer lists, plus demographic and psychographic data
- Bidding models, like CPM, CPC, and CPL
- Ad quality, like through user feedback, actions, and conversion rates
- Reporting, such as measuring impressions and return on ad spend (ROAS) in real-time
It’s likely ChatGPT’s advertising platform will also integrate with other ad platforms. Based on its job listing, OpenAI’s Growth Paid Marketing Platform Engineer role “will include projects such as…integrating with major ad platforms.”
Similar to other tech companies, like Meta, it’s possible ChatGPT will incorporate AI to help advertisers create more compelling advertising assets, from visuals to copy to offers, similar to Google’s use of artificial intelligence in Google Ads.
Who should advertise on ChatGPT?
Companies whose target audience overlaps with ChatGPT’s should consider advertising there. The platform’s biggest audience (54-57%) is users between the ages of 18-34, which aligns with our findings on how different generations search.
That doesn’t mean companies targeting an older audience should skip ChatGPT ads.
There is a real advantage to being an early adopter of new — and fast-growing — marketing and advertising channels. With less competition in the space, early adopters can get more exposure (along with a lower acquisition cost).
Plus, with less competition, advertisers could see lower advertising costs than on more saturated networks, like Google Ads or Meta Advertising. Not to mention, businesses have the chance to dominate paid advertising opportunities while other companies hold off on advertising.
Is ChatGPT advertising worth it?
It can be, it just depends on who you’re talking about.
As of right now, it’s really only benefiting bigger businesses and enterprises that have the $1 million to commit to the ChatGPT advertising platform. So, based on the current structure of the ad platform, it’s not really built for small businesses.
For businesses that have the budget, it’s a great option. It’s an early mover advantage to start advertising on the platform and see if it’s worth the investment.
How can I appear on ChatGPT without advertising?
You don’t have to wait for ChatGPT ads to get your business listed on the platform. ChatGPT already mentions brands and cites its sources, allowing users to learn more about a company by clicking a link to view products, read guides, book appointments, and more.
Getting featured in ChatGPT’s responses happens through OmniSEO®, which includes:
These optimizations include a range of strategies, like:
- Making a website accessible to search and answer crawlers
- Producing content with a unique angle, specific insights, and visuals
- Optimizing content with key phrases, structured data, tables, and more
- Getting cited on third-party websites, whether via linked or unlinked mentions
You can dig into this approach in our guide on how to rank in ChatGPT responses.
Get visibility now — not later — with OmniSEO®
You don’t have to wait for ChatGPT advertising to start benefiting from the platform.
With OmniSEO, it’s possible to generate awareness, traffic, and revenue from ChatGPT and other AI platforms, from Perplexity AI to Gemini. And with more than 700 successful campaigns completed, WebFX (the team behind SEO.com) is a partner proven to meet the challenge.
Connect with us today to start appearing in ChatGPT responses!
Grow Your Visibility Beyond Google
Capture leads and traffic from emerging search platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI.
Grow Your Visibility Beyond Google
Capture leads and traffic from emerging search platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI.
Grow Your Visibility Beyond Google
Capture leads and traffic from emerging search platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI.
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