ChatGPT adds CPC ads

OpenAI has started selling some ChatGPT ads on a cost-per-click basis, moving beyond the impression-based pricing it used when the ad pilot opened in February. (searchengineland.com) The company began testing ads in ChatGPT in the U.S. on February 9, 2026, for logged-in adult users on the Free and Go tiers, while Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education accounts remained ad-free. OpenAI said ads are labeled as sponsored and do not change ChatGPT’s answers. (openai.com) The new click-based option is showing up for a subset of pilot advertisers in an early ads manager, with reported bids of $3 to $5 per click. Until now, buyers in the pilot were paying mostly by cost per thousand impressions, or CPM, which charges for views rather than clicks. (searchenginejournal.com) ChatGPT’s reported CPMs have fallen fast since launch, from about $60 to as low as $25 in some cases within roughly nine weeks. Digiday reporting cited by multiple trade outlets also said the minimum campaign commitment dropped from about $250,000 at launch to $50,000. (ppc.land) That pricing shift changes who can buy the inventory. Brand advertisers often buy on CPM, while performance marketers usually want CPC because it lets them compare the cost of a visit or lead against Google Search, Meta, and other ad platforms. (searchenginejournal.com) OpenAI’s own ad pitch is built around scale and control. In its March 26 update, the company said the pilot showed low ad dismissal rates, no impact on consumer trust metrics, and plans to expand beyond the U.S. to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. (openai.com) The mechanics also look more like a conventional ad platform than an experimental sponsorship. OpenAI said ad selection in the pilot can use the topic of a conversation, a user’s past chats, and past interactions with ads, while keeping conversations private from advertisers. (openai.com) Trade reporting says OpenAI is also building out the plumbing needed for broader buying. A subset of advertisers now has access to a self-serve ads manager with real-time reporting on impressions and clicks, according to reporting cited by Search Engine Journal and PPC Land. (searchenginejournal.com) Search Engine Land reported OpenAI’s ad revenue target is roughly $2.5 billion, a figure that helps explain why the company is pushing ChatGPT toward measurable ad budgets instead of one-off brand tests. The result is a product that increasingly looks less like a premium sponsorship venue and more like another performance channel marketers can price against search. (searchengineland.com)