Ads in AI chat:
opportunities for marketing in 2026

Advertising on ChatGPT: What's starting now & what it means for you

In February 2026, OpenAI officially began testing advertisements in ChatGPT – a technological milestone that could permanently change the digital advertising landscape. For the first time, ads are appearing directly in AI chat, specifically for users of the free version and the new Go plan in the US.

How do ads work in ChatGPT?


Advertisements are displayed after a ChatGPT response – clearly separated and marked as “Sponsored.” The ads do not influence the AI responses and are not sold to advertisers along with user data. OpenAI uses AI context to display relevant ads – e.g., product or service recommendations that match the question.

 

 

Who can see the ads?


Currently, the test only applies to logged-in adult users in the US with:

 

  • Free ChatGPT account
  • ChatGPT Go subscription

Paid subscriptions such as Plus, Pro, or Business remain ad-free.

 

 

Why is OpenAI testing ads?


OpenAI justifies the move by saying that ads will help to sustainably finance the free and low-cost ChatGPT models without compromising the quality or independence of the responses.

 

 

What does this mean for users?

 

  • Ads only appear in context, not randomly in chat.
  • Users can control or disable personalization.
  • Users under the age of 18 will not see any ads during the test.

 

Opportunities for businesses and marketing


This development opens up new possibilities:

 

  • Conversational advertising – advertising where customers ask specific questions.
  • New visibility at the point of intent – directly in dialogue instead of classic search ads.
  • AI-optimized content strategies as the basis for relevant ad placements.

 

How can companies advertise on ChatGPT?

 

Advertising on ChatGPT is currently still in a test phase and is not available for all companies to book. OpenAI is currently working with selected advertising partners to test the new ad format. However, companies can already register their interest and sign up as potential advertising partners. OpenAI provides a form for this purpose, which companies can use to provide basic information about their business, industry, and target markets. Access to the first advertising programs is currently mainly via beta programs with selected companies and larger budgets. A classic self-service system like Google Ads or Meta Ads does not yet exist. However, industry experts assume that OpenAI will build its own advertising platform for ChatGPT ads in the medium term, through which companies can manage campaigns themselves. Until then, participation will remain primarily reserved for early adopter companies that want to gain early experience with this new advertising channel.

 

The introduction of advertising in ChatGPT marks a strategic turning point: AI-powered ads could soon become a channel in their own right in the digital marketing mix – with a focus on relevance rather than mere impressions. As the launch is currently limited to the US, this test run will allow us to closely observe how users and advertisers react to it.