OpenAI Ads Command $60 CPMs, Challenging Google With Conversational Intent
Updated
Updated · Business Insider · May 27
OpenAI Ads Command $60 CPMs, Challenging Google With Conversational Intent
4 articles · Updated · Business Insider · May 27
$60 CPMs and roughly $12 CPCs suggest OpenAI's early ChatGPT ads are becoming a high-value revenue stream, with Similarweb arguing the format could threaten Google's search-ad model.
46% of users who eventually saw an ad began with no commercial intent, and 83% of ad-triggering ChatGPT queries would not have activated a traditional Google Shopping ad.
Ads appear deep into chats rather than on keyword searches alone: one Indeed ad surfaced after 30 turns, a Dick's Sporting Goods ad after 10, and a HubSpot ad after 52.
A single ad per conversational turn helps support pricing, while engagement has held up: average CTR is 0.68%, the best campaign hit 5.4%, and users kept chatting 73% of the time after seeing an ad.
That points to a broader shift from buying keywords to buying evolving conversational intent, opening ad inventory that Google and Bing largely do not capture.
As ChatGPT starts showing ads, are we witnessing a marketing revolution or a new privacy nightmare?
OpenAI’s ChatGPT Advertising Rollout: Monetization, User Impact, and the Competitive AI Landscape
Overview
OpenAI is rapidly integrating advertising into ChatGPT as a core part of its future, aiming to monetize the platform while maintaining user trust and the quality experience that has driven its growth. Ads are targeted at logged-in users on Free and Go plans in the US, appearing below AI responses only when relevant to the conversation. OpenAI has put guardrails in place to protect user experience and data privacy, ensuring ads do not compromise the integrity of ChatGPT. This approach supports broad access to AI and reflects OpenAI’s commitment to balancing monetization with user value.