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ChatGPT ads: how advertising in ChatGPT works and can you buy a place in answers

Yakiv Romanchuk, founder of JW2D · Published

Short answer

Since February 2026, OpenAI has been showing ads in ChatGPT, and on 18 August 2026 it announced expansion to 31 European markets. Ads are shown to Free and Go users, are labeled as sponsored and are separated from the answer. OpenAI states that ads do not influence ChatGPT’s answers. So an ad is a separate paid placement next to the answer. If you want ChatGPT itself to name your business in the answer, there is no paid route: that depends on what ChatGPT finds about you on the web.

How ChatGPT ads developed

Date What happened (according to OpenAI)
9 February 2026 Ad testing starts in the USA for adult users on Free and Go plans
26 March 2026 OpenAI announces pilots outside the USA, starting with Canada, Australia and New Zealand
11 August 2026 Ads are available in the UK, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and South Korea
18 August 2026 Expansion to 31 European markets announced, including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Austria; at first through OpenAI’s sales team and partners
31 August 2026 Self-service access through Ads Manager opens in these 31 European markets
5 October 2026 OpenAI announces a test of image ads during image generation in the USA and new measurement partners

Who sees the ads

  • Only users on the Free and Go plans. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education are ad-free.
  • Ads are not shown to accounts of users under 18 and are not placed near sensitive topics such as physical or mental health and politics.
  • Free users can turn ads off in exchange for fewer free messages per day.
  • Users can hide ads, see why an ad is shown, delete ad data and manage personalization.

Ads and answers are separate

This is the main point for businesses. OpenAI writes that ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives, that every ad is clearly labeled as sponsored and visually separated from the answer, and that advertisers do not get access to chats — only aggregate data such as views and clicks.

Ad in ChatGPT Recommendation in the answer
Where it appears Next to the answer, labeled as sponsored In the text of ChatGPT’s answer
How you get there Pay for placement through Ads Manager or OpenAI’s sales team No payment: ChatGPT relies on what it finds about you on the web
Who sees it Free and Go users, in markets where ads are available All users, regardless of plan
When it stops When the budget ends As long as the sources about you stay available and current

Organic recommendations are the subject of GEO: see how to rank in ChatGPT.

How targeting and payment work

  • During the test, an ad is chosen based on the topic of the conversation, previous chats and earlier interactions with ads. If several advertisers fit, the most relevant one is shown first.
  • OpenAI lists CPM and CPC bidding, optimization for conversions, geotargeting and custom audiences.
  • Measurement: OpenAI Pixel, Conversions API and integrations with third-party attribution systems.
  • Advertisers that meet the criteria can use negative keywords.
  • Registration is at ads.openai.com.

Can a business in Estonia advertise in ChatGPT

OpenAI says ads are expanding to 31 European countries, but the text of the announcement names only some of them; Estonia is not among the names listed in the text. Before planning a campaign, check whether Estonia is available as a target market in Ads Manager. Remember also that only Free and Go users see the ads.

What to do

  1. Separate the two goals. Ads bring paid traffic for as long as the budget lasts; mentions in answers depend on your website and your reputation online.
  2. Start with what is free. Make sure ChatGPT can find you: OAI-SearchBot is allowed, the site is indexed in Bing, company facts are the same everywhere — see which AI crawlers to allow.
  3. Test ads if your market is available, measure conversions with the Pixel or Conversions API and compare the cost with search advertising.
  4. Do not trust offers to “buy a place in the answer”. According to OpenAI, ads do not influence answers — see red flags when choosing a contractor.

Sources

  1. OpenAI. Testing ads in ChatGPT (9 February 2026, updated 26 March, 7 May and 11 August 2026)
  2. OpenAI. ChatGPT Ads expands across Europe (18 August 2026, updated 31 August 2026)
  3. OpenAI. Building advertising for the way people use AI (5 October 2026)
  4. OpenAI Ads Manager

FAQ

Is there advertising in ChatGPT?

Yes. OpenAI started testing ads in the USA on 9 February 2026 and has since expanded to more countries, including 31 European markets announced on 18 August 2026.

Can I pay to have ChatGPT recommend my business in its answer?

No. OpenAI states that ads do not influence ChatGPT’s answers. An ad is shown separately and labeled as sponsored.

Who sees ads in ChatGPT?

Adult users on the Free and Go plans. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education plans are ad-free.

Is ChatGPT advertising available in Estonia?

OpenAI announced 31 European markets, but the text of the announcement does not name all of them. Check the available markets in Ads Manager.

How do I start advertising in ChatGPT?

Register at ads.openai.com. Since 31 August 2026, self-service access through Ads Manager has been available in the 31 European markets.

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