The visual ads will ‘initially’ appear when you generate images using ChatGPT.
The visual ads will ‘initially’ appear when you generate images using ChatGPT.
byEmma Roth
Oct 5, 2026, 1:09 PM UTC
Image: OpenAI
Emma Rothis a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.
OpenAI’s latest ad format will put images of sponsored products and services on your screen. The ads, which OpenAI will begin testing in the US later this month, will “initially” appear when you generate images with ChatGPT, according to an announcement on Monday.
The company first brought ads to ChatGPT in February. Until now, ChatGPT’s ads only showed a company’s name, logo, and a link to its product in a “sponsored” section beneath your chat. OpenAI’s visual ad format will similarly remain separate from the image you generate and will “not influence the answers ChatGPT provides.” Ads won’t appear if you subscribe to ChatGPT’s Plus, Pro, or Enterprise plans.
OpenAI notes that it has guardrails in place to determine when a conversation is “appropriate” for ads, with the goal of keeping them out of “emotionally vulnerable, sensitive, or otherwise unsuitable contexts.” The company says it’s testing visual ads with an “initial group of advertisers,” and plans to try out new formats in the future.
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