ChatGPT Ads: What it is, how it works, and how to get started

You ask ChatGPT about a product, and a sponsored brand appears below the answer.

A year ago, that spot couldn't be bought. Today it can, and there is still little competition bidding for it.

Let's analyze one of the marketing trends that will define 2026 and the years to come.

What is ChatGPT Ads

ChatGPT Ads is OpenAI's native advertising system within ChatGPT: sponsored ads that appear right below AI responses, managed through a dedicated platform called OpenAI Ads Manager and purchased via auction rather than fixed rates.

It is OpenAI's advertising product within ChatGPT, and it allows brands and advertisers to appear with relevant ads while users explore options, compare alternatives, and make decisions within a conversation. The official launch of ChatGPT ads arrived on February 9, 2026, for users in the U.S. on Free and ChatGPT Go plans. It has been evolving ever since, and the pace of change is exactly what makes it worth watching closely.

How do ChatGPT ads work

The user asks a question as usual, and ChatGPT responds just as it always has. When the conversation has a clear commercial context, a sponsored block appears below that response, clearly labeled and visually separated from the content generated by the model. The ads appear in clearly labelled boxes with a subtly different tone at the bottom of the AI's responses, never influencing the actual answer provided by the assistant.

Instead of traditional keywords, the platform uses contextual matching based on the current topics of the conversation, chat history, and previous ad interactions. It is a paradigm shift compared to Google or Meta: here, you don't compete for a keyword, but rather to appear at the moment when purchase intent is already explicit within the dialogue itself.

The Ad space is purchased through an RTB auction (real-time bidding) with dynamic pricing, with no fixed rates published by OpenAI, and privacy is maintained: conversations remain confidential and advertisers only receive aggregated performance data.

Types of ChatGPT ad campaigns

ChatGPT ads currently offer several purchasing models and formats that are worth knowing before planning a strategy:

• CPM (cost per mille/thousand impressions): designed for reach and branding campaigns.
• CPC (cost per click): the most widely used model currently in self-service, geared toward qualified traffic.
• Sponsored agents: the newest format. On September 16, 2026, OpenAI introduced new AI advertising experiences, including a trial of sponsored agents, campaign tools, and natural language creative, along with integrations with HubSpot and Shopify as its first CRM and e-commerce partnerships. With this format, when a relevant ad appears, the user can start a clearly labelled conversation with a brand-sponsored agent, ask follow-up questions, and click through to the website when they are ready to move forward.

In which markets is ChatGPT Ads available

The rollout has been progressive throughout 2026:

• February 9, 2026: initial launch in the United States, Free and Go plans.
• April 17, 2026: Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
• August 11, 2026: United Kingdom, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, and South Korea.
• August 19-24, 2026: expansion to 31 European countries, including Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Austria.

In total, ads on ChatGPT are now available in more than 40 countries, including Spain, with over 8.5 million weekly ChatGPT users in Spain alone. However, it is worth noting that OpenAI warns that the availability of Ads Manager by country is still evolving, so it is recommended to check the current status before planning a budget with a client.

ChatGPT campaign audience

Here is one of the nuances that surprises advertisers the most: not all ChatGPT users see ads. They are only seen by users on the Free and Go plans; the Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education plans do not show ads, and they are not shown to accounts identified as being under 18 years old or within temporary chats.

Furthermore, in the case of Spain and the rest of the European Economic Area, ad personalisation is not initially available, so in this first phase the context of the conversation, intent, and the relevance of the ad itself carry more weight, rather than user profiling.

How much do ads on ChatGPT cost

The entry cost has fallen considerably since the launch. In the initial U.S. pilot in early 2026, CPMs close to 60 USD were reported, and OpenAI confirmed a minimum commitment of 200,000 USD for certain advertisers. With the subsequent opening of Ads Manager, the model evolved into an auction system with purchasing via both CPM and CPC:

• Currently, OpenAI recommends starting CPC campaigns with a maximum bid of 3 to 5 USD per click, although the effective cost depends on competition and ad relevance.
• There is no official fixed rate for CPM: throughout 2026, effective prices significantly lower than the 60 USD at launch have been reported.

In Spain, where ChatGPT Ads self-service has been available since August 31, 2026, a campaign billed in euros can start with a minimum daily budget of €15. The six-figure investment commitment that characterized the initial pilot no longer exists.

Because the Spanish market has only just opened, there is not yet enough consolidated public data to establish a specific average CPC or CPM for Spain, nor to claim that prices are systematically 20–35% lower than in the US.

ChatGPT Ads vs. Google Ads vs. Meta Ads

No channel replaces the other two; each captures the user at a different stage of the buying process. Google wins on active search intent, Meta on discovery and volume, and ChatGPT on declared intent within the conversation itself—something neither Google nor Meta can replicate yet. Here is how the key differences between the three break down today:

Read our article on how to generate leads in 2026 with B2B paid campaigns!

Why partner with Novicell to make the leap

Launching your first ChatGPT ad campaigns without prior experience carries risks: it is a constantly changing platform with no established benchmarks and different targeting rules than Google or Meta. At our PPC team , we are at the forefront of adopting emerging channels like this one, combining our technical setup and paid campaign optimisation expertise with innovative platforms.

If your brand wants to test this channel with a controlled budget, avoid beginner mistakes, and use a creative strategy specifically designed for a conversational environment, partnering with a team like Novicell allows you to get ahead of the competition while the cost per click is still low and make the most of this window of opportunity.