OpenAI announced on August 18, 2026 that ChatGPT Ads will launch in 31 European markets next week, marking what the company described as its largest expansion of the advertising product to date. The rollout will include countries such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Austria.
Rollout and access
At launch, advertisers will be able to buy ChatGPT Ads through the OpenAI Ads Solutions team, selected agency partners, and technology partners. OpenAI said self-service access via Ads Manager will follow later this summer. The company stated ads will be shown only to users on the Free and Go plans; Plus, Pro, and Enterprise subscriptions will remain ad-free.
OpenAI framed ads as a way to support free and low-cost access to ChatGPT and to give marketers an opportunity to reach people while they explore options and make decisions. The company added that tens of thousands of marketers have already advertised on ChatGPT since testing began.
Ad tools and privacy safeguards
OpenAI described ongoing platform development, noting that ChatGPT Ads has expanded beyond CPM and CPC bidding to include conversion optimization aimed at advertisers’ business goals. The company said it has added geo-targeting, custom audiences, and measurement tools that go beyond clicks, including the OpenAI Pixel, Conversions API, and third-party measurement integrations.
OpenAI emphasized privacy and transparency as guiding principles. The company said conversations are kept private from advertisers, customer data is not sold, ads are clearly labeled and separated from ChatGPT’s responses, and advertising does not influence the model’s answers. Users retain control over ad personalization and can opt for ad-free paid plans.
OpenAI said it will continue developing new formats, optimization tools, and measurement solutions as the service expands, and invited businesses interested in advertising to sign up at ads.openai.com.
Original source: OpenAI News