MUMBAI: The chatbot that answers questions is now asking advertisers to join the conversation. OpenAI is accelerating the expansion of its advertising business as it looks to widen access to ChatGPT, attract new users and build fresh revenue streams to support its long-term growth ambitions.
Speaking at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, OpenAI’s advertising chief David Dugan said advertising would play a central role in expanding access to the company’s AI products, signalling a notable evolution in OpenAI’s business strategy.
The move marks a significant shift for a company that had previously kept its distance from traditional advertising models. Today, advertising is emerging as a key pillar of OpenAI’s growth plans as it reportedly works towards generating $100 billion in annual revenue by the end of the decade.
OpenAI introduced advertisements on ChatGPT earlier this year for users on its Free and Go subscription tiers. Ads are integrated within user interactions, creating a new monetisation channel for a platform that continues to attract hundreds of millions of users globally.
According to reports, the company already works with thousands of advertisers across seven test markets, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea. The programme is set to expand to Brazil and Mexico in the coming weeks, with India expected to be added at a later stage.
Unlike conventional display advertising, OpenAI’s approach is built around intent rather than interruption. Advertisements are matched to what users are researching, when they are searching and how they are engaging with the platform, reflecting the broader shift towards AI-powered discovery and commerce.
The company has not disclosed advertising revenues, but Dugan indicated that user engagement metrics have improved considerably since the early testing phase. According to him, the number of users who immediately leave the platform after seeing an advertisement has fallen significantly.
The advertising push comes as OpenAI continues to expand beyond chatbot services and position ChatGPT as a destination for search, discovery and commerce categories traditionally dominated by internet giants whose business models rely heavily on advertising.
The company is also exploring deeper opportunities in marketing and creative services. At Cannes Lions, OpenAI Creative Specialist Chad Nelson demonstrated how AI tools can help create and launch advertising campaigns with limited technical expertise, highlighting how generative AI is increasingly becoming part of the marketing workflow.
As AI platforms evolve into digital destinations rather than simple tools, OpenAI’s latest move suggests the future of online advertising may not revolve around where people browse, but around what they ask.
