OpenAI brings ChatGPT Ads to 31 European markets

OpenAI says ChatGPT Ads will launch next week in 31 European countries, including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Austria. The move follows six months of advertising tests in the United States and expansion into eight other markets.

The initial European rollout will be available through OpenAI’s Ads Solutions team, agency partners, and technology partners. A self-serve option in Ads Manager is planned for later this summer.

What it means for AI builders

The advertising model is designed to support free and low-cost access to ChatGPT. Ads will appear only for users on the Free and Go plans; Plus, Pro, and Enterprise subscribers will continue to use ChatGPT without ads.

For marketers and teams building AI-powered customer journeys, the opportunity is distinct from traditional keyword advertising. Users often describe goals, constraints, and preferences in conversational prompts while researching products, planning trips, comparing software, or learning new skills. OpenAI positions ads as a way to reach people during those consideration and discovery moments.

OpenAI says advertisers’ access to conversations will remain restricted, customer data will not be sold, and ads will be clearly separated from ChatGPT responses. It also says advertising will not affect the answers generated by the assistant, while users can control ad personalization.

The platform has added conversion-focused optimization alongside CPM and CPC bidding, plus geo-targeting, custom audiences, and measurement through the OpenAI Pixel, Conversions API, and third-party integrations. OpenAI reports that tens of thousands of marketers have already advertised on ChatGPT, although it describes the broader platform as still being in an early stage.

Source: OpenAI News