OpenAI has announced that paid advertising will soon be introduced within ChatGPT, marking a major shift in how brands may be able to reach customers through artificial intelligence platforms for the first time.
The announcement confirms that ads will begin testing in the coming weeks across ChatGPT’s free and lower cost “Go” tiers in the US, with paid subscriptions such as Pro, Business and Enterprise remaining ad free. Ads will be clearly labelled and separated from AI generated responses, shown only when relevant to the user’s conversation.
AI is rapidly becoming a daily tool for research, decision making and problem solving. Unlike traditional search engines or social platforms, ChatGPT is used conversationally, often at the exact moment a user is seeking advice or evaluating options. Therefore, advertising in this setting has the potential to be highly intent driven. Rather than interrupting scrolling behaviour, ads may appear alongside relevant conversations, when users are already asking questions about products, services or solutions related to their needs.
OpenAI has stated that ads will not influence ChatGPT’s answers and that user trust and privacy will remain a top priority. However, from a commercial perspective, the positioning of ads within a conversational AI environment could offer businesses a powerful new way to be discovered.
For small and medium sized businesses in particular, ChatGPT advertising could help level the playing field. OpenAI has highlighted that AI driven ad experiences may allow smaller brands to create high quality, relevant interactions without the massive budgets traditionally required on established advertising platforms.
Although ChatGPT ads are still in their testing phase, the announcement alone is a clear signal that AI powered platforms are becoming part of mainstream marketing.
As with previous platform launches, from Google Search ads to early Facebook ads, those who get involved early often benefit the most. Lower competition, increased visibility and valuable learning data are common advantages for early adopters, and at Engage Web, we stay up to date with industry changes like this so our clients don’t have to. As new advertising avenues emerge, we explore them carefully, test what works and help businesses take advantage of opportunities at the right time. If and when ChatGPT advertising becomes a viable channel, we’ll be ready to help our clients make the most of it. Speak to us today if you want to maximise your web presence.
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