OpenAI to test a new visual ad format in ChatGPT
OpenAI has announced a test of clearly labeled visual ads in ChatGPT, displayed separately from generated content and initially limited to a small US pilot.
OpenAI has introduced a new visual advertising format for ChatGPT that is set to be tested around the image-generation experience. In the published example, an ad card carrying a clear “Ad” label appears separately from the generated image or response.
OpenAI says the ads will not influence the model’s answers or the content users create. According to the announcement, the initial test is expected to begin in the United States in October 2026 with a small group of advertisers.
The initiative is another step in expanding ChatGPT’s commercial model, although the final presentation, availability and user response will become clearer during the pilot. The accompanying image shows a grocery-store advertisement displayed inside a mobile ChatGPT interface.