ChatGPT Ads passes $1B run rate in 200 days

ChatGPT Ads has reached the milestone of $1 billion in annualized revenue run rate in less than 200 days, prompting OpenAI to expand its self-service advertising capabilities to new global markets. Tens of thousands of advertisers now utilize the platform as Ads Manager becomes publicly accessible in India, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

Self-service access allows businesses in these newly added regions to create Ads Manager accounts and deploy campaigns directly without routing through managed-sales teams or agency partners. Initially launched under a managed sales model, the advertising product now operates across more than 40 countries alongside an ecosystem comprising over 50 technology and measurement partners supporting the platform infrastructure.

According to OpenAI, users typically engage with ChatGPT during key decision-making moments—such as comparing market options, planning home renovations, researching career changes, or weighing potential purchases. OpenAI aims to position ad suggestions directly within these ongoing conversational moments rather than on separate search result pages, utilizing contextual understanding to serve relevant brand recommendations.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Concurrently, European regulators have increased oversight as the advertising business expands into the region. The European Commission designated ChatGPT as a Very Large Online Search Engine (VLOSE) under the Digital Services Act (DSA) after the platform surpassed the threshold of 45 million average monthly users in the EU. OpenAI is granted until January 2027 to fulfill enhanced DSA obligations regarding systemic risk assessment and algorithmic mitigation.

These regulatory duties encompass preventing the spread of illegal content, addressing negative impacts on minors, protecting individual user rights, and safeguarding public security and electoral processes. Because ChatGPT incorporates web search functionalities, the European Commission classifies it as a hybrid service operating under search engine guidelines, with supervision managed in cooperation with Ireland's Digital Services Coordinator.

"OpenAI states its ads principles centre on protecting user trust, keeping ads separate from answers and ensuring advertisers do not access private conversations."

OpenAI

OpenAI maintains that its core advertising principles prioritize user trust by clearly labeling ads, keeping commercial suggestions separate from conversational responses, and withholding private chat histories from advertisers. Furthermore, the platform has integrated advanced campaign features including CPC bidding, Pixel and Conversions API integrations, and product catalog feeds to enhance measurement and targeting precision for global brands.

Source: AI News