OpenAI’s advertising business has surpassed US$1 billion (AUD $1.4 billion) in annualised revenue run rate, less than 200 days after launch.
Tens of thousands of advertisers worldwide are now active on ChatGPT, including businesses using self-service tools and those working directly with OpenAI’s advertising team.
Small and medium-sized businesses now represent a material share of the business following the introduction of Ads Manager in May.
Since ChatGPT Ads launched in Australia and New Zealand in March, thousands of Australian and New Zealand advertisers have begun using the platform to connect with customers including AG1, Airwallex, Budget Direct, Kogan, L’Oréal Group, Luxury Escapes, Virgin Australia and Xero. The milestone reflects growing demand for advertising that helps businesses reach people as they explore ideas, evaluate options and make decisions in ChatGPT.
“Aussie and Kiwi businesses have been quick to recognise the opportunity to connect with people in a way that is relevant, useful and grounded in what they are trying to achieve,” said Andy Sinn, a member of OpenAI’s Australian ads solutions team.
“Our focus is on helping advertisers deliver genuine value while maintaining the clear separation, privacy protections and trust that people expect from ChatGPT.”
OpenAI has continued to expand the capabilities of ChatGPT Ads, introducing new tools to help businesses reach relevant audiences and better understand campaign performance.
These include:
Conversion optimisation, giving advertisers more ways to optimise campaigns around business outcomes alongside existing cost-per-click and cost-per-thousand-impressions options.
Geographic targeting and custom audiences, helping businesses reach customers based on location and other relevant audience criteria.
Expanded measurement tools, including the OpenAI Pixel, Conversions API and third-party measurement integrations, providing a clearer view of how advertising contributes to business results.
“What we’re hearing from local advertisers is that they want more than reach, they want to understand whether they are showing up at a genuinely useful moment for their customers,” said Mitch Pilar, a member of OpenAI’s Australian ads solutions team.
“As we introduce more sophisticated targeting, optimisation and measurement, we’re giving Australian and New Zealand businesses practical tools to build campaigns around the outcomes that matter to them.”
Luxury Escapes head of digital, Matt Meisner, said the product was particularly effective for top of funnel engagement.
“We’re encouraged by the early results and look forward to continuing growing the volume of users we’re reaching who are actively researching their next trip with ChatGPT,” he said.
Virgin Australia CMO, Libby Minogue, agreed the platform offered brands a new way to connect with customers at moments of genuine intent.
“Advertising in ChatGPT isn’t about taking what we do on other platforms and simply putting it somewhere new. It’s about understanding how people are using ChatGPT and finding meaningful ways for Virgin Australia to be relevant in those moments. Our ambition is to build a relationship with people in this environment that earns our place in the conversation,” said Minogue.
The growth in Australia and New Zealand comes as OpenAI continues to expand ChatGPT Ads to more than 40 countries internationally.
For eligible Australian and New Zealand advertisers, the expansion creates new opportunities to extend campaigns globally and connect with customers across more international markets.
Advertising supports OpenAI’s mission to broaden access to powerful AI by helping make free and lower-cost access to ChatGPT possible. Ads are shown only to users on ChatGPT’s Free and Go plans. Plus, Pro and Enterprise subscriptions remain ad-free.
Advertisers do not have access to users’ conversations, and OpenAI does not sell customer data. Ads are clearly labelled, appear separately from ChatGPT’s answers and do not influence the responses ChatGPT provides. Users can also control ad personalisation.
As OpenAI continues to develop new advertising formats, optimisation tools and measurement capabilities, its focus remains on making ads useful for people and effective for businesses while preserving the independence and integrity of the ChatGPT experience.
