OpenAI is bringing adverts to ChatGPT in the UK, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, and South Korea after an update to its ad manager.
The company began trialling adverts on the free and lowest-cost tier of its popular chatbot in February, expanding to Canada, Australia and New Zealand in March.
During this time, OpenAI said it did not find the advertising had any impact on consumer trust, adding that advert’s low dismissal rates and ongoing improvements in relevance were key factors behind the expansion of its pilot.
Advertising is OpenAI’s latest attempt to squeeze profitability out of a product currently haemorrhaging billions of dollars a year. In its blog post, the company noted that maintaining its Free and Go tiers requires significant infrastructure and ongoing investment. HSBC estimated in November that OpenAI would need to raise at least $207 billion by 2030 just to power its current growth plans.
The adverts themselves appear as sponsored links below prompts, often in relation to what was asked. For instance, a request for vegan meal options may surface a meal kit provider as a sponsored advert following the answer to the prompt. OpenAI says that its advertising has no impact on the answers ChatGPT provides, and that advertisers do not have access to chats, personal data or chat histories.
Two days before announcing its second round of international expansion, OpenAI released an update that makes buying ads on the platform more convenient.
The company has partnered with public relations companies including Dentsu and WPP, as well as technology companies that offer advertising platforms such as Pacvue and Adobe.
These partnerships will support businesses purchasing adverts by allowing them to access ChatGPT ads through services they are already using, the company said. It is also rolling out a new self-serve ads manager that allows users to buy ad space directly from the company itself.
OpenAI’s advertising service is still in early days, and the company said it plans to evolve its platform with new formats, objectives, and capabilities.
The company’s previous attempt to generate revenue through ChatGPT, Instant Checkout, was shelved after only six months following low uptake from vendors and users.
