Artificial intelligence is no longer just a technological marvel or a futuristic promise; it's a central element of our daily online experience. From chatbots to automatically generated content, more and more platforms are AI-driven – and this shift is now fundamentally transforming the world of digital advertising.
In this article, we'll examine how ads appear in AI models, what opportunities this offers advertisers, and what marketers should know from a strategic perspective.
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Why are we talking about this now?
In January 2026, OpenAI announced that it would begin testing advertisements in the US market. This means users will encounter ads not only on familiar platforms like Google or Facebook but also within the ChatGPT interface.
The previously ad-free environment is now reaching a new level. Recently, ads have started appearing on the ChatGPT interface, effectively opening a new chapter in the relationship between AI-based communication and marketing.
We can legitimately ask: why is this necessary?
From a business perspective, the answer is simple. Operating generative AI systems is extremely costly, thus requiring ever-increasing revenue streams.
Advertisements – currently in a testing phase and exclusively in the US market – serve as a funding model that allows for the maintenance and development of the service without significantly increasing subscription fees.
How do ads appear and what do they cost?
It appears ChatGPT is adapting the visual (image + text) ad structure familiar from social media platforms, complemented by several principles specifically designed to build trust:
- Separated ads clearly labeled "sponsored": ads are visually distinct from the chatbot's response and do not blend with it.
- Context-dependent relevance: ads appear based on the conversation's content (e.g., during a recipe search, users might encounter food delivery offers).
- User data protection: according to OpenAI's promise, advertisers will not gain access to private conversations or personal data.
- Maintaining a trust structure: responses are not influenced by ads; that is, the underlying algorithm does not modify the chatbot's response merely to favor an advertiser.
How much will each click and impression cost?
OpenAI has set a rather high price:
#m1-y#The CPM (cost per 1000 impressions) will be around 60 USD, which, converted at the current exchange rate, is approximately 19,000 Ft.##
For comparison: the average CPM for Meta ads in Hungary is currently around 1,500 Ft – meaning the CPM of AI ads could be more than 12 times that of an average Meta ad.
Thus, the pricing of AI ads is more comparable to premium television inventory – typically affordable for large corporate brands – rather than the advertising prices of social media platforms.
Another important difference is that campaigns are primarily impression-based. Advertisers pay for impressions, not for conversions or clicks.
What kind of reports can advertisers expect from OpenAI?
Regarding reporting, the prospects are not very bright; advertisers will have access to limited data.
The number of clicks and impressions will be provided, but what happens after an impression or click will remain a mystery. Purchases, subscriptions, quote requests? We won't receive data on these.
Thus, in terms of campaign types, it is likely that these ads will primarily help promote brand awareness, while a performance focus will take a back seat.
From a strategic perspective, this model may remind us of Pinterest's original advertising strategy: the platform initially relied primarily on impression-based campaigns, but a few years later, they realized that a conversion-focused model offered a more scalable revenue path.
As long as advertisers optimize solely for impressions, The spending level typically remains stable, with limited potential for increase. However, once the system can optimize for conversions, the budget may fluctuate based on ROI.
This is why it's a question how long ChatGPT will maintain a purely brand awareness focus, and when and in what form performance marketing will appear.
In the long term, it's hard to imagine the platform completely staying out of the competition for conversion-driven advertising models.
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Who sees AI ads?
According to OpenAI's current plans, ads will only be shown to those over 18 . Ads will not appear alongside sensitive topics such as health or politics.
Based on this, ads are currently being introduced on two levels:
- for free users,
- and within the Go subscription.
Contrasting Model: Claude's Approach
While OpenAI has begun testing an advertising model, Claude (developed by Anthropic) explicitly adheres to the principle of being ad-free.
Their stance is that AI conversations are often personal and sensitive, so integrating ads could erode trust and the sense of independence – thus, they consciously choose an ad-free policy.
#m1-y#This difference clearly shows that the business models of AI platforms are still evolving.##
What does this mean for marketing strategy?
1. A New Advertising Channel is Born
Facebook, Google, Pinterest, LinkedIn ads – what else could there be? Alongside traditional channels (search, display, social), an AI-contextual advertising platform is now emerging that:
- can appear directly within the context of a user's query appear
- provide relevant offerswithout "cluttering" the interface
- presumably it could also bring new types of targeting options - however, the details of this are not yet known.
2. Relevance Instead of Clicks
While most ads still focus on clicks, click-through rates (CTR), or CPC-based auctions, AI ads:
- analyze the content of the conversation
- and display offers accordingly
#m1-p#This is closer to a consultative recommendation than a banner ad.##
3. The Customer Journey Transforms
An increasing number of internet users are turning to AI platforms for product and service research. The pace of growth is particularly striking:
While the weekly number of users was around 1 million in November 2023, it reached 100 million in November 2024, and by November 2025, it had already risen to 810 million.
This exponential growth clearly indicates a shift in user habits. The initial steps of information gathering no longer necessarily occur in search engines, but rather in AI-based conversations.
From a marketing perspective, this means that:
- businesses that learn how to optimize their messages for an AI environment now will gain a competitive advantage,
- digital strategies are increasingly shifting towards an AI-centric focus,
- and AI advertising and organic AI optimization will together form an effective media mix.
What should you do now?
Regardless of your company's industry, you cannot ignore the presence of AI in the online space.
1. Ask yourself: how does my brand appear in AI responses?
Even if it's not currently possible to advertise on AI platforms in the European market, an organic appearance in AI responses is becoming increasingly important today, as it's the only way to stay competitive.
2. Prepare for context-driven ad creatives
This doesn't mean classic display creatives. The relevance of ads is tied to the user's query – because of this, creative copywriting must follow a different logic, focusing on helpful, direct, and easily understandable offers.
3. Focus on testing
In the coming years, AI advertising will likely reach the European market as well. As with any new advertising channel, it will be worthwhile to follow the established practice that as soon as that moment arrives, your first AI campaigns should be used for testing ratherthan completely re-creating your strategy.
What challenges can we expect regarding AI advertising?
Naturally, several potential risks and questions awaiting answers also arise:
- Expectations vs. Reality: we don't yet know exactly what formats will be most effective, or how targeting will be optimized.
- Data Privacy and Trust: users may be sensitive to their AI conversations being used for advertising purposes - even if the data remains anonymized.
- Ethical and UX (User Experience) Considerations: the placement and manner of ads will be crucial, as disruptive or intrusive ads can degrade the user experience, associating negative connotations with the brands displayed in the ad.
Summary:
Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly significant role in how we inform ourselves, make decisions, and shop. The advertising opportunities presented by AI models - particularly on conversational interfaces - offer advertisers a much deeper, intent- and context-driven connection than traditional display or search ads.
This will require a new mindset and creative strategies. It won't be enough to know what we want to sell - we also need to map out when and how our offer can most naturally integrate into users' conversations with ChatGPT.
Those who recognize this early can not only open up a new channel in their marketing mix but also gain a competitive advantage in a digital environment where the first touchpoint of the customer journey will increasingly be AI-based.
#promobox-en#Struggling to navigate the world of advertising? We can help!##
