ChatGPT’s Next Phase: AI-Powered Ad Platform To Transform Digital Advertising And Revenue Streams
In Brief
OpenAI plans to launch an advertising platform within ChatGPT by 2026 to monetize free users, leveraging its 700 million-strong audience and extensive user data to create a significant new revenue stream while pioneering AI-driven ad automation.
OpenAI is preparing to introduce advertising into ChatGPT as a new revenue model, with plans to monetize free users through a dedicated ad platform by 2026. The move reflects a broader industry trend in which AI tools are beginning to integrate traditional business models to sustain growth and diversify income sources. With more than 700 million weekly active users reported as of August 2025, the platform offers brands and marketers access to a massive and highly engaged audience.
Reports suggest that OpenAI expects advertising to become a considerable revenue stream. Internal forecasts project around $1 billion in revenue from free-user monetization in 2026, with that figure potentially growing to nearly $25 billion by 2029. These numbers form part of a wider projection estimating $125 billion in total revenue by the end of the decade.
The company has already begun assembling the infrastructure required to support this model. Recruitment is underway for a large team focused specifically on ad platform development. Current postings include roles such as Growth Paid Marketing Platform Engineer, a position designed to develop campaign management tools, facilitate real-time attribution, and ensure seamless ad integration into the ChatGPT environment.
One of the most notable aspects of the emerging ad platform is its intended functionality. According to available details, the system may allow brands to enter specific campaign objectives, after which ChatGPT could autonomously plan, execute, and measure performance. This automation, if successful, would mark a departure from conventional ad-buying processes, bringing AI directly into the mechanics of digital advertising in a way that rivals existing platforms.
Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s chief of applications, is reportedly seeking leadership for this initiative at present, with the responsibility of building a dedicated team tasked with introducing ads to ChatGPT. Industry observers view this as a pivotal moment, since it formalizes the company’s commitment to advertising as a core business function rather than an optional experiment. The development also raises questions about how users will respond to advertisements in a conversational AI context and how OpenAI will balance monetization with user trust and experience.
OpenAI’s Advertising Pivot: Leveraging User Data And Scale Despite Previous Leadership Reservations
The platform currently reaches over 700 million users. Alongside this scale, it accumulates a substantial volume of user data, encompassing product comparisons, preferences, and other behavioral insights. This dataset provides opportunities for analysis and monetization that extend well beyond conventional search history, potentially giving the company unprecedented insight into consumer behavior.
At the same time, the move toward advertising appears to contrast with earlier statements from OpenAI leadership. In December, Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar emphasized the company’s focus on its existing business model, noting that while alternative revenue streams could be considered in the future, there were no immediate plans to pursue advertising.
Similarly, CEO Sam Altman has previously expressed a personal aversion to advertisements, stating in a podcast with Lex Fridman that he disliked advertising and believed OpenAI could meet its operational and computational expenses without introducing them.
OpenAI Eyes Major Brand Advertising Revenue With ChatGPT As It Expands User Base And Launches First Narrative Campaign
In the long term, OpenAI is likely to secure a large portion of brand advertising budgets aimed at broad audience reach, while performance-driven advertisers may also engage through features such as the checkout function, which has been observed in development. This strategy could set a precedent for other AI platforms, potentially becoming a model that competitors seek to emulate.
At the same time, OpenAI is continuing to expand its user base while simultaneously investing in brand marketing for the first time. The company recently launched its first extended campaign for ChatGPT, featuring a series of narrative-driven advertisements that blend everyday scenarios with product demonstrations, illustrating how users interact with and explore the AI assistant.
The approach aligns with a familiar growth strategy in the tech sector: first focus on audience expansion using investor funding, and once a critical mass is reached, implement monetization strategies to generate revenue. By doing so, OpenAI positions itself to leverage both its audience scale and data insights for sustainable business growth.
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About The Author
Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
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Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
