ChatGPT ads will be clearly labeled, separate from AI answers, and shown when they are relevant to the current conversation. They’ll appear at the bottom of responses for users of the free and Go tiers, while other paid subscribers remain ad-free. Importantly, OpenAI says these ads will never influence the core answers ChatGPT gives.

Rather than traditional banners, ads are expected to act like intent-aligned recommendations, for example, offering product or service suggestions right where the user is already engaged in an AI-assisted decision. Advertising will be woven into the moment of need.

Until now, digital advertising has been dominated by search and social platforms that interrupt or redirect users. ChatGPT ads propose something different: conversation-first discovery. When users ask questions, they reveal intent in their words, and brands can meet that intent with relevant offers, recommendations, or solutions inside the flow of a helpful AI response.

This represents a paradigm shift because it aligns advertising with real customer intent, beyond keyword matches or social interest signals. It turns AI conversations into a new ad inventory - one that may deliver higher engagement and discovery precisely when users are actively thinking about solutions.

For online businesses that are quick to adjust, adoption of the new platform could mean an early advantage. While legacy platforms like search and social can be crowded or expensive, ChatGPT ads offer a new way to connect with audiences who are already asking questions relevant to your products or services. Early adopters can:

• Be first in a new inventory before competition spikes
• Reach potential customers at the moment of intent
• Compete on relevance and conversation quality, rather than budget alone

As AI becomes a daily decision-making tool, the brands that succeed will be the ones that show up with clarity, relevance and timing. If you want to understand how conversational advertising can work for your business and how to prepare for it early - you can learn more on our home page.