ChatGPT's new ad format fills the image generation loading screen with product carousels

Product ads now appear during AI image generation, integrating commercial content directly into the user experience.

OpenAI is testing a new ad format within ChatGPT that displays product carousels or rows of images below the image generation loading screen. These ads, labeled clearly as advertising, are designed to showcase products in use or their associated experiences. The test is scheduled to launch this month with an initial group of advertisers. OpenAI is also enhancing its measurement tools, allowing advertisers to send conversion data via platforms like Hightouch and Tealium, and integrating with attribution providers such as AppsFlyer and Adjust. The company is exploring geo-based experiments for ad impact and working with brand safety partners like DoubleVerify and Integral Ad Science. OpenAI has already achieved an annualized revenue run rate of $1 billion from ads in ChatGPT, which are currently available in over 40 countries.

This move signals OpenAI's aggressive monetization strategy, aiming for $100 billion in ad revenue by 2030 by leveraging ChatGPT's massive weekly user base of 1.2 billion people. The integration of ads into the image generation process, a core utility for many users, suggests a future where generative AI platforms are heavily intertwined with advertising ecosystems. The expansion of measurement and brand safety tools indicates a commitment to making these new ad formats attractive to a broad range of advertisers, potentially normalizing commercial interruptions within AI-driven workflows.

Advertisers gain a novel placement to reach users at a moment of creative engagement, potentially influencing purchasing decisions directly related to the generated content. The enhanced measurement capabilities aim to prove the ROI of these placements, addressing a key concern for brands adopting emerging ad channels. As OpenAI refines these offerings, users might see an increasing number of ads interspersed with AI-generated content, blurring the lines between utility and commerce on these platforms.