ChatGPT image creation is about to get its first visual ads

OpenAI says it will begin testing visual advertising in ChatGPT image generation later this month, starting with users in the United States. Mayank Parmar reports for BleepingComputer that the test will involve an initial group of advertisers and introduce ads built around images, products, and services.

The company says the ads could show product inspiration, examples of how a product is used, or experiences connected to a service. They will appear while a user generates images in ChatGPT, but OpenAI says they will remain separate from the image the system creates. The ads will also be clearly labeled.

OpenAI has stressed that advertising will not affect ChatGPT’s responses. That distinction matters as the company expands advertising inside a tool that many people use for research, writing, brainstorming, and creative production.

More tools for advertisers

The visual format is part of a broader effort to make ChatGPT advertising measurable. OpenAI is integrating with Hightouch, Tealium, and LiveRamp to help advertisers connect ads with conversions, such as purchases or sign-ups.

Its attribution partners include AppsFlyer, Adjust, Branch, Triple Whale, and Kochava. These services are designed to help advertisers understand which campaigns lead to actions outside ChatGPT.

OpenAI is also working with DoubleVerify and Integral Ad Science on brand suitability. Because ads can appear around conversations rather than on conventional web pages, advertisers need assurances that their messages are not placed near unsuitable topics.

According to the company, its safeguards are intended to block ads in emotionally vulnerable, sensitive, or otherwise inappropriate conversations. OpenAI says external measurement and safety partners will not receive access to private user conversations when assessing whether those protections work.

The company says ChatGPT reaches 1.2 billion people each week. The U.S. image-generation trial signals that advertising may become a more significant revenue source alongside paid subscriptions.