OpenAI is expanding ChatGPT Ads today to 26 additional countries, bringing its advertising service to 89 countries worldwide for businesses seeking customers through ChatGPT conversations. Ads remain limited to the Free and Go plans, while users with Plus, Pro and Enterprise subscriptions will continue without advertising. Businesses in the newly added countries can buy ads through technology partners or manage campaigns themselves using Ads Manager.
Latin America accounts for 14 of the additional countries, with Colombia and Argentina among the markets joining after earlier launches in Brazil and Mexico. The expansion also includes Pakistan and Bangladesh in Asia, Nigeria and South Africa in Africa, and Ukraine and Serbia in Europe. Cambodia, Chile and Peru are also among the countries gaining access.
Read more: Early ChatGPT Ads Report Low Click Rates and Broken Measurement Tools
More than 100,000 advertisers have run ChatGPT campaigns since advertising launched just over eight months ago, according to OpenAI. The company puts ChatGPT’s weekly audience at more than 1.2 billion people and says advertising helps fund access for users on free or inexpensive plans. OpenAI pitches the service to businesses seeking to reach people while they compare products and consider purchases through a conversation.
The geographic expansion follows an April rollout of self-service Ads Manager, which gave advertisers direct campaign controls instead of relying on sales staff and exported reports. Earlier this month, OpenAI scheduled an initial US trial of visual advertising during ChatGPT image generation, with ads displayed separately from users’ generated pictures.
OpenAI says advertisers cannot access private conversations and that it does not sell customer data. It also says ads carry clear labels, remain distinct from ChatGPT’s answers and have no influence on those answers. The company describes a possible placement in which someone discussing marathon meal preparation encounters an ad for grocery delivery after refining their dietary and cooking requirements.
The 89-country availability figure concerns ChatGPT Ads, while the separately planned visual advertising trial initially targets the US. OpenAI says its next advertising work will cover more formats, campaign objectives, purchasing choices and tools for measuring results. It is also exploring additional ways for businesses to engage consumers within ChatGPT.
