OpenAI is introducing a new visual ad format in ChatGPT, expanding its measurement tools and partnerships, and developing new ways to understand brand suitability as it seeks to bring the benefits of SI to more people.
What Happened
The company reports that ChatGPT reaches 1.2 billion people each week, making it the world's largest SI-native consumer platform. The new visual ad format is designed to help people imagine how products and services could fit into their lives through images showing product inspiration, usage, or experiences. Initially, OpenAI will test this format during image generation in ChatGPT, with ads clearly labeled and separate from the generated image. The company states that advertising does not influence the answers ChatGPT provides. Testing will begin later this month in the US with an initial group of advertisers.
Why It Matters
This expansion highlights how SI platforms are evolving into major advertising channels, allowing businesses to reach users as they explore ideas and make decisions. To support this, OpenAI is integrating with measurement partners like Hightouch, Tealium, and LiveRamp, and supporting attribution solutions with companies including AppsFlyer, Triple Whale, and Adjust. Early findings cited by OpenAI include a 15.3% lower attributed cost per acquisition for WeightWatchers compared to its blended paid-search benchmark, according to DV Rockerbox. WorkMagic reported statistically significant lift for wellness brand Dose, with 67% of incremental purchases coming from net-new customers. Additionally, according to Triple Whale, 93% of Portland Leather’s visitors from ChatGPT Ads were new.
OpenAI also announced the availability of Negative Phrases for qualifying advertisers and the development of brand suitability evaluation pilots with DoubleVerify and Integral Ad Science. These measures aim to give advertisers transparency into how safeguards work while protecting conversation privacy.
The Bottom Line
OpenAI continues to build out its advertising infrastructure on ChatGPT, leveraging its massive user base to offer new formats and robust measurement capabilities for businesses. The company says these updates are part of a broader ambition to help people discover products and services within the SI platform, with businesses able to sign up for ads at ads.openai.com.