ChatGPT Ad Pilot Surpasses $100M in Annualized Revenue
OpenAI has surpassed $100 million in annualized advertising revenue from ChatGPT, just six weeks after launching its ad pilot in the United States. As a result, the milestone highlights the strong early commercial potential of ads within AI chatbots.
Notably, ads currently appear to fewer than 20 percent of U.S.-based ChatGPT Free and Go users each day. Even so, the program has already attracted more than 600 advertisers, signaling growing interest in this emerging channel.
At the same time, the company plans to roll out self-serve advertiser access in April, which could further accelerate adoption. Initially, however, participation remained limited to large consumer brands such as Target, Walmart, and Williams-Sonoma, working either directly or through major agencies.
From Pilot to Scaled Rollout
OpenAI first revealed its advertising plans on January 16, emphasizing user trust, privacy, and clear labeling of sponsored content. Shortly after, ads began appearing on February 9 for logged-in adult users on the free tier and the $8-per-month Go plan. Meanwhile, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education subscribers continue to use the platform without ads.
However, the early rollout faced criticism from some advertisers who viewed the pace as too slow. For example, CNBC reported in mid-March that some participants committed between $200,000 and $250,000 but likely would not spend their full budgets before the initial deadline.
OpenAI explained its cautious approach, stating, “We are in the early testing phase of ads in ChatGPT, and our current objective is to learn and enhance the user experience before expanding it more broadly”.
Nevertheless, ad delivery increased significantly over time. By mid-March, Sensor Tower estimated that ad volume had surged by about 600 percent since the start of the month, reaching roughly 5 percent of ChatGPT’s mobile users.
Expanding Toward a Full Ad Ecosystem
As the pilot progressed, OpenAI moved to strengthen its advertising infrastructure. For instance, the company held early discussions with The Trade Desk to support ad sales, while also integrating Criteo to enable programmatic ad buying.
Consequently, advertising now represents an additional revenue stream alongside subscriptions and API services. OpenAI reached approximately $25 billion in annualized revenue by the end of February, according to Reuters, which underscores its rapid overall growth.
Looking ahead, analysts expect significant expansion in this segment. Truist analysts identified 2026 as an “inflection year” for ads driven by large language models, while projections suggest revenue could exceed $30 billion by 2030. Similarly, Evercore ISI analyst Mark Mahaney has estimated that ChatGPT advertising could grow into a $25 billion annual business by the end of the decade.
Finally, OpenAI recently signaled plans to expand ads to all free and Go users in the United States. Therefore, this broader rollout could dramatically increase reach and further establish AI chatbots as a major advertising platform.
