According to a report by The Information, the first ads are expected to appear in early February. OpenAI is reportedly asking advertisers for spending commitments of less than $1 million each for a multi-week test phase. A self-service system that would allow advertisers to book ads on their own does not yet exist, but is currently under development.
The chosen pricing model differs from standard industry practice. While Google and Amazon typically charge per click (CPC), OpenAI is following the approach used by social media platforms like Meta, which charge per thousand impressions (CPM). It remains unclear whether this approach will change once testing begins.
The decision to use a CPM model may suggest that users of AI chatbots are less likely to click outbound links than users of traditional search engines. Perplexity has adopted a similar model. From an advertiser’s perspective, CPC is generally more attractive, as it provides greater certainty about what they are paying for and allows ad performance to be measured more precisely.
Advertising business aims to reassure investors
The controlled rollout has strategic motivations. OpenAI wants to increase revenue from advertising and shopping features without alienating users who might perceive chatbot ads as intrusive. At the same time, a functioning advertising business would strengthen the company’s position with investors. OpenAI is currently seeking to raise up to $100 billion, an unprecedented amount for a private company.
According to the report, advertising agencies and brands are showing interest in ChatGPT ads. With around 900 million weekly active users and the highly personalized nature of chat interactions, advertising on the platform could prove particularly effective.
Initially, ads will be shown to US users on the free version of ChatGPT as well as subscribers to the new $8 plan. The advertising business is overseen by Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications and former head of Instacart.
Overall, OpenAI’s cautious move into advertising highlights a strategic attempt to balance monetization with user trust. If executed carefully, this model could turn ChatGPT into one of the most valuable new ad platforms—without undermining the credibility that made it scale in the first place.
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