OpenAI Adds Ads to ChatGPT, Software Firms Lead Early Placements

OpenAI launched limited ad tests in ChatGPT in February and introduced a self-service ad-buying tool in May that allowed more businesses to bid for placements. Business Insider reviewed data collected by adtech firms Profound and Adthena covering tens of thousands of recent prompts.

The data indicate that only 1% to 2% of prompts currently trigger ads, and 83% of conversations that include an ad contain just one.

Software companies accounted for 34% of the ads analyzed by Profound across 66,000 placements, while creator, design, and media tools made up another 15%. Lead analyst Jasman Singh said the pattern matches the roughly 40% of prompts that users direct toward work-related tasks.

3% for location or service queries. Travel queries also generated ads from 31 different advertisers, including Expedia, Airbnb, Hilton, and Royal Caribbean.

An OpenAI spokesperson stated that advertisers receive no access to individual conversations or personal data. The spokesperson added that the company views the current results as early but encouraging for delivering useful yet non-intrusive ads. Health-related categories showed no ad placements in the Adthena sample, marking the clearest difference from Google Search advertising patterns.