What are ChatGPT Ads, and how do they work?

OpenAI started testing ads in ChatGPT in early 2026 and has since opened a self-serve Ads Manager to advertisers in a growing list of countries. The key points from OpenAI's help documentation:

• Placement: ads are clearly labelled as sponsored and presented separately from ChatGPT's answer.
• Audience: ads may appear for users on the Free and Go plans. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu accounts don't show ads.
• Answer independence: OpenAI says ads don't influence ChatGPT's responses.
• Privacy: advertisers don't receive conversation content; they see aggregated performance data such as impressions and clicks.

For advertisers, ChatGPT Ads are closer to contextual advertising than to keyword search ads: the ad is matched to what the conversation is about. Campaign types, bidding options and targeting have been changing quickly, so check OpenAI's current documentation before planning a budget.

Because the channel is new, reliable benchmarks are thin. Start with a test budget, clear conversion tracking and landing pages that match the question a user was asking, and compare the cost per qualified lead with your other channels.