OpenAI will introduce new visual ads in ChatGPT, starting testing with select advertisers in the U.S. later this month. Initial ads will appear during the image generation process, separate from the images users are generating, and will be clearly labeled. The company states that ads will not affect the responses provided by ChatGPT.

This is the second format of ads since their launch in February. Previously, ads only displayed company names, logos, and product links in a sponsored area below the conversation. The new format showcases product inspiration, usage scenarios, or experiences that products can offer through images. Plus, Pro, and enterprise subscription users will not see ads. The company has filters to keep ads away from emotionally vulnerable, sensitive, or inappropriate conversations.

Effectiveness testing will be handled by Haus, Measured, and WorkMagic, conducting region-based experiments to see if ads generate incremental results. Brand suitability will be evaluated by DoubleVerify and Integral Ad Science. Measurement partnerships will also expand to attribution and full-funnel tools, including Fospha, Measured, INCRMNTAL, and a group of application attribution partners.

OpenAI cites early results from partners indicating that DV Rockerbox measured WeightWatchers' customer acquisition cost from ChatGPT ads to be 15.3% lower than its paid search blended benchmark. WorkMagic reported a statistically significant increase for health brand Dose, with 67% of incremental purchases coming from new customers. These figures are from partner results and not independent audits.

The company describes ChatGPT as the largest AI-native consumer platform, reaching 1.2 billion people weekly. Visual ads are currently limited to the U.S., only for the first batch of advertisers, and will initially appear next to image generation. Global rollout and more formats are planned for the future, with no specific dates provided.

This is an ad inventory test, not a subscription price increase. Buyers are brands looking to engage conversation users with images, while sellers are the free version's image generation scenes. The path for paid users remains unchanged, while free users will see sponsored images next to their generation results. Beneficiaries are the advertisers and measurement companies in the first testing batch, while those under pressure are the search display positions that previously handled these budgets, as well as free users who do not want to see ads and have not upgraded their subscriptions.

Source: Public Information