OpenAI ChatGPT Ad Pilot Hits $100 Million Revenue in Six Weeks

TLDR

• OpenAI’s ChatGPT ad pilot surpassed $100 million in annualized revenue within six weeks
• Over 600 advertisers are now collaborating with OpenAI on the program
• Only 20% of eligible users see ads daily, leaving growth potential
• Ads appear below ChatGPT answers and don’t influence responses
• OpenAI plans to expand the program to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand

(SeaPRwire) –   OpenAI’s advertising pilot for ChatGPT hit $100 million in annualized revenue less than two months after launching in the United States. The company confirmed the number via a spokesperson on March 26, 2026.

JUST IN: OpenAI’s U.S. ad pilot exceeds $100 million in annualized revenue within six weeks.

Ads currently shown to fewer than 20% of eligible users, leaving significant room for growth.

OpenAI plans global expansion in coming weeks.$MSFT $GOOGL $META $NVDA pic.twitter.com/Hkn2Hbnx1t

— MarketPulseHQ (@MPulseHQ) March 27, 2026

The pilot kicked off in January 2026, when OpenAI announced it would test ads with free-tier users and subscribers to its lower-cost Go plan. The ads show up at the bottom of ChatGPT’s replies and are clearly marked.

OpenAI has stated the ads don’t influence the chatbot’s responses. User conversations also aren’t shared with advertisers.

Over 600 advertisers are now participating in the program. Almost 80% of the small and medium-sized businesses involved have indicated they want to keep using ChatGPT ads.

Around 85% of free and Go plan users in the U.S. qualify to see ads. That said, fewer than 20% get ads on a daily basis.

Users under 18 won’t see ads. Ads also won’t be displayed alongside content about politics, health, or mental health.

Slow Rollout by Design

Per earlier CNBC reports, some advertisers have voiced frustration with the rollout speed. OpenAI stated the slow approach was deliberate.

“We’re in the early testing phase of ads in ChatGPT, and the goal right now is to learn and refine the experience for consumers before expanding it more broadly,” the company said.

OpenAI said ad dismissal rates are low and noted no negative effect on consumer trust metrics to date.

The company also mentioned ongoing improvements to ad relevance as it gathers feedback from users and brands.

New Hire and Global Expansion

This week, OpenAI named David Dugan—formerly an ads executive at Meta—to head its global advertising solutions team. The appointment signals the company’s intent to formalize its ad business.

OpenAI also plans to roll out self-serve tools for advertisers in April. These tools will let businesses create and manage campaigns without needing to work directly with OpenAI.

The program will expand globally in the weeks ahead, with Canada, Australia, and New Zealand as the next markets.

The ad initiative hasn’t been without criticism. Competitor Anthropic took direct aim at the move in its first Super Bowl ad, poking fun at OpenAI’s choice to add ads to an AI assistant.

OpenAI said it’s encouraged by early feedback from both users and participating brands, and that advertiser interest remains strong.