OpenAI released a new visual ad format in ChatGPT on October 5, 2026, saying it helps people explore products and services through images. It is the company's first major advertising update since its launch as a consumer platform.
OpenAI reported ChatGPT reaches 1.2 billion people each week, measured as the world's largest AI-native consumer platform. That compares with its prior focus on subscription-based models.
The new ad format is built on ChatGPT's AI-native platform and targets product discovery and brand engagement. Availability begins later this month in the US, initially for an initial group of advertisers.
"ChatGPT is creating a fundamentally different advertising environment, where context is defined by the conversation itself rather than a page or video," said Mark Zagorski, CEO of DoubleVerify. ChatGPT Ads allow independent measurement while respecting user privacy, helping advertisers gain confidence in this emerging channel.
The announcement follows OpenAI's broader ambition to help people discover products and evaluate options in ChatGPT. OpenAI itself frames the significance as part of its mission to bring AI benefits to more people through advertising.
OpenAI did not say how the ad format will evolve over time, and raised the open question of how to measure long-term impact. The company said it will continue to evolve its ad platform with new formats and capabilities.
Source: openai
