ChatGPT now carries ads. OpenAI began testing them in the US in February 2026 and brought them to India in August, with self-serve buying from September. For Indian businesses this is a new place to be seen at the exact moment someone asks for advice. Here is what is confirmed, what advertisers do and do not get, and how to get ready without wasting budget.
1. What launched, and when
OpenAI announced ad tests in the US on 9 February 2026 for the Free and the low-cost Go tiers. On 27 August 2026 it extended ads to India, its second-largest market, with WPP and Omnicom as the first agency partners and self-serve access through ChatGPT Ads Manager from 4 September.
In October it added visual ads next to image generation results in the US, and CNBC reported a further expansion to 26 more countries. The format list is still growing, so expect changes through 2027.
2. Who sees the ads, and where
In India, ads appear for logged-in adults on the Free and Go plans, below an answer, labelled as sponsored. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education users do not see ads. Self-serve Ads Manager access opened on 4 September 2026, and daily budgets start at ₹725.
OpenAI says ads are not shown next to health, mental health or political topics, and not to accounts identified as under 18.
- Free and Go plan users aged 18 and over
- Below the answer, only when a relevant sponsored offer exists
- Clearly marked as sponsored
- Not near health, mental health or politics
3. What advertisers get, and what they do not
Advertisers receive aggregated results such as impressions and clicks. They do not get conversations, chat history, memories or personal information, and OpenAI says ads do not change the answers ChatGPT gives. In the US tests, ads were matched to the topic of the conversation and past ad interactions.
That means your ad competes on relevance to the question being asked, not on buying a better answer. If the organic answer already names a competitor, your ad sits below it. Being named in the answer itself still matters most.
4. How to prepare in the next 30 days
Start with the questions your buyers ask. Write down twenty in their words, then check what ChatGPT answers today and whether you are named. That tells you where organic visibility is missing and where an ad could fill the gap.
Then build a landing page per question, with a direct answer in the first lines, clear pricing or next steps, and a fast mobile experience. Run a small test with the starting budget, measure leads rather than clicks, and only scale what converts.
- List 20 buyer questions and check today's answers
- Fix your own pages so AI can quote them
- One landing page per question, answer first
- Start small, track leads and cost per lead
Frequently asked questions
Can Indian businesses advertise on ChatGPT?
Yes. OpenAI opened self-serve ChatGPT Ads Manager in India from 4 September 2026, alongside agency partners.
How much do ChatGPT ads cost in India?
Business Standard reported that daily budgets start at ₹725. Total cost depends on your budget and bidding; no fixed minimum total was stated.
Do ChatGPT ads change the answers?
OpenAI says no: ads appear separately below the answer and advertisers cannot influence what ChatGPT says.
Who does not see ChatGPT ads?
Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education subscribers, and accounts identified as under 18.
Sources
- ChatGPT rolls out ads, TechCrunch, 2026
- ChatGPT ads roll out in India: who will see them and how will they work?, Business Standard, 2026
- OpenAI launches visual ads that appear alongside image generation results, TechCrunch, 2026
- OpenAI expands ChatGPT Ads to 26 new countries as diversification push accelerates, CNBC, 2026
