OpenAI will expand ChatGPT Ads to 31 European countries next week. The expansion includes markets such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Austria, opening a new way for businesses to connect with people as they search for information and make decisions.
Advertising reaches more ChatGPT users
Advertisers will initially be able to access ChatGPT Ads through OpenAI’s advertising solutions team, partner agencies, and technology partners. Direct access through Ads Manager will become available later this summer.
Ads will only appear for people using the Free and Go plans. Plus, Pro, and Enterprise subscriptions will remain ad-free—an option designed for those who prefer an experience without advertising.
Why does this expansion matter? Because people do not always come to ChatGPT with a simple search. They might explain that they want to plan a trip, choose a program for their company, furnish a home, learn a concept, or start a hobby.
That information gives advertisers broader context than a list of keywords. In theory, a brand could appear when someone is exploring alternatives, comparing options, or getting closer to a purchase decision.
OpenAI promises to separate ads from responses
Advertising inside ChatGPT raises an important question: will ads change the way artificial intelligence responds?
OpenAI says they will not. According to the company, ads will be clearly identified and separated from ChatGPT’s responses. Advertising will also have no influence on the content generated by the assistant.
The company also says that conversations will remain private from advertisers and that it will not sell customer data. Users will control ad personalization, while paid plans will continue to offer an ad-free alternative.
Trust will be one of the deciding factors in whether ChatGPT Ads is accepted by users and advertisers.
These assurances will be especially important in Europe, where privacy and responsible data use carry considerable weight for consumers and regulators.
An advertising platform still under development
OpenAI began testing ads in ChatGPT in the United States during February. Over the following six months, it expanded the program to eight additional markets. The arrival in 31 European countries represents, according to the company, its largest expansion so far.
During this period, ChatGPT Ads also added tools that are more familiar in digital advertising:
- Conversion optimization, in addition to the
CPMandCPCbidding models. - Geographic targeting to reach users in specific locations.
- Custom audiences to find more relevant customers.
- Measurement through OpenAI Pixel, Conversions API, and integrations with external services.
The difference is that OpenAI wants to measure more than clicks. With these tools, advertisers will be able to evaluate whether their campaigns contribute to concrete business outcomes, such as sign-ups, purchases, or other conversions.
The company says that tens of thousands of marketing specialists have already advertised on ChatGPT. However, it also acknowledges that the product is still at an early stage and that it will continue developing new formats, optimization tools, and measurement solutions.
What changes for users and businesses?
For free users, ChatGPT could become a space with more commercial recommendations during certain conversations. The key will be making it easy to distinguish which part is an assistant response and which part is advertising.
For businesses, the opportunity is different. Instead of competing only to appear in a search, they will be able to try to connect with people who describe their needs in greater detail. A software company, for example, could reach someone who explains the size of their team, their budget, and the features they need.
That does not mean every ad will be useful or that ChatGPT will replace traditional search engines. But it does show how advertising is beginning to adapt to a more conversational form of interaction.
The European expansion makes ChatGPT Ads a significant bet for OpenAI: helping fund free and low-cost access to artificial intelligence without sacrificing the trust of the people who use the platform. The outcome will depend on how clear the ads are, how relevant they feel, and how much control users retain over their experience.