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TLDR (for those who asked for shorter issues 🙂)

  • ChatGPT ads are coming, but they’re not a performance channel yet.

  • OpenAI promises privacy-first, clearly separated, intent-based ads — good on paper, we’ll see what happens in practice.

  • If this works, ad budgets won’t increase; they’ll shift, adding real pressure on Meta and Google.

  • This could lead to faster reactions from “OG” platforms — incentives, product changes, maybe even cheaper CPMs.

  • For SMBs, the real win isn’t being early — it’s learning to match ads to the exact question people ask before buying.

  • That mindset already improves Meta ads, Google ads, and landing pages today.

Meta Ads, Google Ads, TikTok Ads — we’re used to ads everywhere.

Now ads are coming to ChatGPT too.

(For me, this was a question of “when”, rather than ”if”)

OpenAI just confirmed plans to start testing ads in ChatGPT, initially for free and Go users in the U.S., with a broader rollout likely next.

This is new territory.

It raises real questions for advertisers already dealing with tracking gaps, attribution issues, and GDPR compliance.

And, from an advertiser’s POV, how these ad campaigns can actually be managed and optimized.

Let’s break down the essentials without the hype.

ChatGPT Ad Principles (According to OpenAI)

OpenAI published a clear set of principles for how ads will work inside ChatGPT.

You’ll see them summarized in the image below 👇

ChatGPT Ads - Principles

ChatGPT Ads - Who will see ads

The short version:

  • Ads won’t influence ChatGPT’s answers

  • Sponsored content will be clearly labeled and separated

  • Conversations won’t be sold to advertisers

  • Targeting is contextual, not based on personal data

  • Users can opt out of personalization

  • Paid plans remain ad-free

(Well, there goes their mission, which was to provide an AI assistant to world for free.)

Example of GPT ads:

ChatGPT Ads - Example

My honest opinion:

These are the right promises — for users and advertisers. But advertising history says principles are easy; execution under revenue pressure is hard. I’m cautiously optimistic, not convinced — yet.

Also, Sam Altman (CEO Open AI) has previously described advertising as “a last resort” for OpenAI’s business model, saying:

“I kind of think of ads as like a last resort for us as a business model.” (MarketWatch/Morningstar)

What This Means for Ad Platforms (Meta, Google, TikTok)

Short version: this introduces real competition.

If ChatGPT ads gain traction, ad budgets won’t expand — they’ll shift.

Some spend will move into GPT ads, which likely means less pressure on Meta or Google in the short term, and more pressure on them long term.

This matters because Meta, Google, and TikTok have operated in a mostly closed loop:

  • advertisers need them to scale

  • alternatives at similar intent levels are limited

ChatGPT adds a new surface where:

  • intent is explicit

  • users are actively solving problems

  • ads compete with answers, not feeds

That’s not a replacement for existing platforms — but it is pressure.

My take:

We’ve seen this before. TikTok forced Meta to react fast with Reels and aggressive organic distribution.

If ChatGPT ads work, we may see similar defensive moves — incentives, faster product changes, or pricing pressure.

Cheaper Meta ads aren’t guaranteed, but competition usually helps advertisers.

So yes — happy days might come for small businesses in terms of ad budgets.

What This Means for SMBs (The Part That Actually Matters)

SMBs usually lose on Meta and Google because:

  • they can’t outspend bigger brands

  • they enter auctions with a spend handicap

  • they rely on weak targeting signals because lack of budget

ChatGPT flips some of that (based on their current principles).

If ads show up only when intent is obvious, then:

  • budget matters less than relevance

  • brand size matters less than usefulness

  • the best answer often beats the biggest spender

  • geographic area, language and demographics matter

This won’t be about:

  • audience stacking

  • bid cap optimization

  • retargeting tricks

  • complex event hierarchies

It’ll be about:

  • knowing the exact question your customer asks before buying

  • matching your offer to that moment

  • being the most helpful option, not the loudest

My take:

SMBs shouldn’t rush to “test” ChatGPT ads — there’s nothing to test yet.

But they should start thinking in terms of questions, not audiences.

Questions From an Advertiser’s POV

As a media buyer, I have a lot of questions.

  • How will tracking actually work?

  • Will there be attribution we can trust — or none at all?

  • What does optimization even mean without pixels or events?

  • Is there an auction model like Meta or Google — or something else entirely?

  • If there’s no bidding, how does relevance get decided?

  • Will ads be localized by country, language, or market?

None of these are answered yet.

And that’s the point.

Until OpenAI shows real advertiser tools, ChatGPT ads remain a 

concept, not a channel.

Interesting. Potentially huge.

Conclusion

ChatGPT ads will be totally different animal than “OG” ad platforms.

They could represent a shift:

  • from feeds to conversations

  • from targeting people to matching intent

  • from shouting louder to answering better

For now, this is something to understand, not rush into.

Before you think about “ChatGPT ads,” ask yourself this:

What exact question does someone ask right before they buy from you?

If you can answer that clearly, you’re already ahead — on ChatGPT, Meta, Google, Tik Tok and everywhere else.

Hit me up by email at [email protected] and let me know what you think about GPT ads.

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