ChatGPT is expanding its advertising model with the introduction of visual ads — visual ads that appear during image creation. OpenAI announced that it will begin testing the new ad format in the US later this month, with the aim of converting the platform’s free audience into revenue. It’s a major development that changes the way users interact with the popular AI assistant.
OpenAI first introduced ads to ChatGPT on February 9, 2026 , initially targeting logged- in adult users on the free and ChatGPT Go tiers in the US. The original format was limited to a “sponsored” section below the response, which featured the company’s name, logo, and a link to the product. The new visual ad format represents a quantum leap: ads will now include images of products and services , designed to match visual and commercial conversations.
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According to OpenAI, the new visual ads will remain separate from the user-generated image and “will not affect the answers provided by ChatGPT.” The ads will not appear to users who subscribe to the Plus, Pro , or Enterprise. The company says it has safeguards in place to avoid ads appearing in “emotionally vulnerable, sensitive, or inappropriate contexts.”
ChatGPT Visual Ads: What's Changing for Users
ChatGPT ’s new visual ad format is designed to serve product categories where visual presentation has commercial value. Advertisers will be able to showcase product inspiration, products in use, experiences related to a service or brand, as well as visuals that support purchasing decisions. Categories such as fashion, travel, food, home decor, software and entertainment are expected to benefit the most from this format.
For free users, the introduction of visual ads means they will continue to have access to advanced models without paying a subscription. However, the user experience becomes more commercial, and there is a risk of confusion when a visual ad appears next to user-generated content. Clearly labeling ads and visually separating them from generated content will be critical to maintaining trust.
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OpenAI is testing visual ads initially with a “group of advertisers” and plans to test new formats in the future. This suggests that the company sees advertising as a long-term strategic option and not a temporary experiment. The expansion of the advertising ecosystem includes partnerships with data and attribution providers such as Hightouch , Tealium , LiveRamp , as well as mobile app measurement companies such as AppsFlyer , Adjust , Branch , Singular , and Kochava . OpenAI is also conducting brand safety pilots with DoubleVerify and Integral Ad Science .
ChatGPT and Advertising: Economic Context and Competition
The economic logic behind ChatGPT’s visual ads is clear. Running large-scale Generative AI services requires huge investments in computing power, data centers, energy, and engineers. OpenAI reported that ChatGPT has about 1.2 billion weekly users — a number that represents a huge base of potential ad impressions. Earlier in 2026, the number of weekly active users was about 900 million.
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ChatGPT now competes not only with other chatbots, but also with established advertising platforms such as Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon and TikTok. ChatGPT’s advantage lies in its strong intent signals: users describe their needs in natural language, providing the platform with extremely rich purchase intent data. Instead of searching through web lists, users ask the assistant to compare products, plan trips or create visual ideas.
