OpenAI Launches Ads Manager Beta in the U.S., Allowing SMEs to Advertise Directly on ChatGPT Without Minimum Funding Requirement
OpenAI has launched the Ads Manager beta in the U.S., allowing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to advertise directly on ChatGPT without a minimum funding requirement.
Previously, the pilot required a minimum investment of $50,000 and only supported payment based on impressions (CPM). This shift fully transitions to a cost-per-click (CPC) model, lowering the marketing barrier for SMEs.
Asad Awan, OpenAI's head of commercialization, emphasized that ads will not affect the natural output of ChatGPT's core model and that user privacy will be strictly protected. Collaborations have been established with WPP, Publicis, Adobe, Criteo, and others.
Source: Public Information
ABAB AI Insight
OpenAI began exploring advertising monetization in 2025, previously validating demand through high-barrier pilots. The Ads Manager self-service platform is a key step in supplementing revenue from APIs and subscriptions with advertising, continuing the "diversified revenue" path frequently mentioned by Sam Altman. OpenAI has already accumulated a significant amount of SME customer data through the enterprise version of ChatGPT.
In terms of capital, OpenAI will use advertising revenue to offset substantial GPU and energy costs. The pilot has already generated over $100 million in six weeks, and the opening of CPC self-service advertising aims to rapidly expand ad inventory and click conversions. By collaborating with traditional agencies and AdTech, OpenAI seeks to create a hybrid sales model, targeting $2.5 billion in contributions by 2025 and $100 billion by 2030.
Similar to how Google started with ads on search results pages and Meta achieved explosive growth through Instagram Feed, OpenAI is currently in the early commercialization phase of transitioning AI large models from pure technology subscriptions to attention + transaction platforms.
Essentially, this represents a restructuring of the industry chain: OpenAI is transforming ChatGPT traffic from a free/subscription tool into a precisely targeted advertising medium, shifting capital from high fixed-cost computing investments to high-margin advertising cash flow. Mechanically, the CPC model and privacy protection reduce user resistance, facilitating a structural shift from a cash-burning experiment to a self-sustaining commercial empire.
ABAB News · Cognitive Law
Traffic must ultimately be monetized; the smartest companies sell user attention directly to merchants. Self-service advertising platforms with lower barriers often generate higher total revenue. The future of AI relies not solely on subscriptions but on turning every conversation into an optimizable advertising opportunity.