OpenAI expands ChatGPT ads pilot to five new markets
Updated
Updated · Digiday · May 7
OpenAI expands ChatGPT ads pilot to five new markets
8 articles · Updated · Digiday · May 7
The rollout will begin in coming weeks in the UK, Brazil, Japan, South Korea and Mexico, adding to the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
US advertisers already have more advanced tools, including self-serve buying and access to logged-out users, as OpenAI says it is balancing answer independence, privacy and user control.
The push follows a February launch and recent ad-tech buildout, as OpenAI seeks faster growth toward a reported $2.5bn 2026 target amid advertiser interest and regulatory scrutiny.
Are ads in AI chats the future of the internet or just social media's privacy crisis repeating itself?
Facing billion-dollar losses, is ChatGPT’s global ad push a brilliant strategy or a desperate gamble?
OpenAI’s ChatGPT Ads Pilot Surpasses $100M Run Rate, Expands to 5 Global Markets in 2026
Overview
On May 7, 2026, OpenAI expanded its ChatGPT advertising pilot to five new international markets, driven by strong advertiser demand and early U.S. pilot success that surpassed $100 million in annualized revenue within six weeks. This expansion supports OpenAI's goal to reach $2.5 billion in revenue by the end of 2026. Ads are clearly labeled and non-intrusive, shown only to free and ChatGPT Go users, with privacy protections including aggregated reporting and user opt-out controls. The launch of a U.S.-only self-serve Ads Manager enabled broader advertiser access, fueling rapid growth. However, default tracking for free users raises privacy concerns, which OpenAI addresses under the leadership of Fidji Simo as it plans to evolve its ad ecosystem globally while balancing trust and monetization.