OpenAI Launches 'Advertise in ChatGPT' — Self-Serve Ads Manager Now Open in the US

What happened

OpenAI launched its self-serve Ads Manager platform, allowing advertisers to create campaigns and target ChatGPT users by conversational context — not keywords. The system offers CPA bidding and third-party measurement. Early brand partners include Best Buy, Lowe's, and VistaPrint.

Context and impact

The launch directly contradicts Sam Altman's 2024 statement: 'ads plus AI is uniquely unsettling to me' and 'ads are a last resort.' OpenAI is diversifying revenue beyond subscriptions. Ads reportedly appear in ~49% of US ChatGPT replies — a massive commercial footprint.

Details

• Targeting: context-based — conversation topic, not traditional keywords
• Pricing: CPA bidding with third-party measurement
• Availability: US-only self-serve open beta
• Early partners: Best Buy, Lowe's, VistaPrint
• Backstory: Altman 2024: 'ads are a last resort' — now appearing in 49% of replies