Advertise in ChatGPT.

Wait. WHAT?

For years, we’ve been talking about how AI is changing search, how consumers are moving from Google searches to conversational discovery, and how brands need to think beyond traditional SEO.

Now we’ve entered the next phase.

ChatGPT is officially an advertising platform.

And this isn’t a tiny test hiding in a corner of the internet. On August 31, 2026, OpenAI announced that ChatGPT Ads had already reached a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate in less than 200 days, with tens of thousands of advertisers using the platform. ChatGPT Ads are now available in more than 40 countries, with self-service access continuing to expand globally.

For advertisers, this is huge.

But as someone who works in advertising AND uses ChatGPT constantly, my first thought wasn’t actually about CPCs, targeting or campaign strategy.

It was:

Does advertising change the answer?

And maybe more importantly:

Will people still trust ChatGPT if businesses can pay to show up inside it?

First: Where Do the Ads Actually Appear?

This distinction matters.

According to OpenAI, ads appear below ChatGPT’s response, clearly labeled as sponsored content and visually separated from the answer itself.

In other words, if you ask:

“What are the best running shoes for someone training for their first 5K?”

ChatGPT might give you its normal response explaining what to look for and suggesting options.

Then, below that answer, you could see a sponsored ad from a running shoe company.

That advertiser did not pay ChatGPT to become recommendation #1.

OpenAI says advertisers cannot pay to influence, alter, rank or shape the response ChatGPT gives you. The advertising system and the system generating ChatGPT’s answers are separate.

That may sound like a technical distinction, but it is probably the single most important rule OpenAI has put around advertising.

Because otherwise ChatGPT becomes a very different product.

Can Advertisers Pay ChatGPT to Recommend Them?

Currently, no.

OpenAI is explicit about what it calls “answer independence.”

Advertisers cannot pay to change the answer.

They cannot bid their way into ChatGPT’s recommendations.

They cannot tell ChatGPT to rank their product above a competitor.

And an advertisement appearing underneath an answer does not mean ChatGPT or OpenAI is endorsing that company.

Think about the difference between Google’s organic search results and its sponsored search results.

There is an organic information layer.

Then there is an advertising layer.

ChatGPT is attempting to create a similar separation, except the advertising opportunity is based on a conversation rather than a search results page.

And THAT is where things get really interesting for marketers.

ChatGPT Ads Aren’t Really Keyword Advertising

Traditional search advertising starts with keywords.

Someone searches:

“best running shoes for beginners.”

Advertisers bid around those words.

ChatGPT has much richer information about intent.

Someone might instead say:

“I just signed up for my first 5K. I’ve never really been a runner, my knees bother me sometimes, and I’m probably going to train mostly outside. What shoes should I look at?”

That single conversation tells an advertising platform far more than a three-word Google search ever could.

OpenAI says its advertising system looks at things including the context and intent of the current conversation, the advertiser’s landing page, ad copy, creative and advertiser-provided context hints.

Context hints are especially interesting.

Instead of simply telling the platform:

Keyword: running shoes

an advertiser could describe the situations where its product is relevant:

“Cushioned everyday running shoes for beginners training for their first 5K.”

OpenAI says these aren’t exact-match keywords. They are signals that help the system understand the types of conversations, needs and situations where an advertisement could be useful.

This feels much closer to intent targeting than traditional keyword targeting.

And I think we’re going to hear A LOT more about that.

Okay, But Is ChatGPT Reading My Conversations to Serve Me Ads?

This is where things get a little more nuanced.

The ad system can use the context of your current conversation to determine whether an advertisement is relevant.

When personalized advertising is enabled, OpenAI says additional signals may also be used, including past chats, memory and previous interactions with ads.

That sentence is probably going to make some people uncomfortable.

But there is another important distinction:

That information stays within ChatGPT.

OpenAI says advertisers do not receive your conversations, chat history, memories, name, email, precise location or personal details.

Advertisers receive aggregated advertising performance information such as impressions, clicks and conversions. OpenAI also states that it does not sell user data to advertisers.

Users can also turn personalized advertising off and delete their advertising data.

Even with personalization disabled, however, the current conversation may still be used to determine whether an ad is relevant.

So essentially:

ChatGPT can understand what you’re talking about to select an ad. The advertiser doesn’t get to read what you said.

That difference needs to remain crystal clear if OpenAI wants users to continue trusting the platform.

So… Does Advertising Make Me Trust ChatGPT Less?

This is the million-dollar question.

Or apparently the billion-dollar question now.

From a technical standpoint, the answer is not necessarily.

If the advertising system truly remains separated from the answer system, a sponsored placement doesn’t automatically make the information ChatGPT provides less objective.

But perception matters.

Imagine asking ChatGPT:

“Which CRM should I use for my small business?”

ChatGPT gives you an answer.

Immediately underneath it is an advertisement from one of the CRMs you were just discussing.

Even if the answer and advertisement were generated completely independently, some users are naturally going to wonder:

“Did you recommend that because they paid you?”

That is the trust problem OpenAI now has to manage.

And I think the greatest risk isn’t necessarily the advertising product that exists today.

It is maintaining that wall long-term.

The moment advertisers can purchase influence over the actual answer, the value proposition changes dramatically.

For now, OpenAI seems very aware of that risk. Its advertising principles repeatedly emphasize that ads must remain clearly labeled, separate from answers and unable to influence ChatGPT’s responses.

OpenAI also restricts advertising around sensitive conversations where an ad could feel particularly invasive or inappropriate.

Those guardrails matter.

A lot.

What ChatGPT Ads Look Like for Advertisers

Now for the part that made my marketing brain immediately start buzzing.

ChatGPT Ads Manager is becoming a surprisingly familiar advertising platform.

Advertisers can currently build campaigns around objectives including reach, clicks and conversion-focused outcomes. Depending on the objective, campaigns can be purchased using CPM or CPC bidding.

Advertisers can:

• Set budgets and campaign dates
• Target geographic areas
• Target iOS, Android or web
• Create multiple ad groups
• Add conversational context hints
• Upload creative and landing pages
• Track impressions, clicks, CTR, CPC, CPM and conversions
• Add UTM tracking
• Build custom audiences from customer or prospect lists
• Optimize campaigns based on conversion data

OpenAI is even using a relevance-weighted second-price auction, meaning the highest bidder doesn’t automatically win every impression. Relevance is also part of determining which eligible ad gets shown.

That last part is significant.

It suggests that good ChatGPT advertising may depend much more heavily on understanding the problem your customer is trying to solve, not simply having the largest advertising budget.

And Yes, There’s Currently an Ad Credit

OpenAI is clearly trying to get businesses into Ads Manager and testing the platform.

As of August 31, 2026, OpenAI is advertising a promotion for new ChatGPT advertisers:

Spend $500 and receive $500 in ad credit.

Ad credits are subject to eligibility and the specific promotional offer. OpenAI’s general ad-credit terms state that credits normally expire 90 days after issuance unless the offer specifies otherwise.

For advertisers curious about the platform, that makes the barrier to testing it considerably lower.

And yes, I am extremely tempted.

For reference, OpenAI currently lists a $25 daily minimum campaign spend in the United States, and its advertiser documentation recommends starting CPC bids around $3 to $5 per click for click campaigns.

Of course, those benchmarks are brand new and will almost certainly evolve as more advertisers enter the auction.

This Could Be the Beginning of a Completely New Advertising Channel

Google Ads captures someone when they search.

Meta captures someone based largely on interests, behavior, demographics and algorithmic prediction.

ChatGPT advertising potentially captures someone while they are explaining exactly what they need.

That’s a fascinating advertising environment.

Someone isn’t just searching for:

“CRM software.”

They’re explaining:

“I run a five-person company, we’re currently using spreadsheets, I need something easy enough that my sales team will actually use it, and I don’t want to spend $1,000 a month.”

That is extraordinary context.

For marketers, this means messaging may need to evolve from:

What keywords are people searching?

to:

What conversations are people having before they buy?

That is a much bigger shift than simply adding another advertising platform to the media plan.

My Biggest Takeaway

I’m not immediately worried that advertising makes ChatGPT’s answers inherently less trustworthy.

I am going to be watching very closely to make sure the line between advertising and answers stays exactly where OpenAI says it is today.

Because trust is the entire product.

If people begin believing the answer itself is for sale, the usefulness of ChatGPT changes overnight.

But from an advertising perspective?

This is one of the most interesting new channels we’ve seen in years.

We spent the last decade learning how to advertise against searches, demographics, interests and online behavior.

Now we may be entering the era of advertising against intent expressed through conversation.

And that could change a lot more than where we spend our ad budgets.

It could change how businesses think about discovery altogether.

The latest big change is AI Max for Search campaigns, Google’s increasingly AI-powered approach to deciding when your ads appear, what they say, and even which page of your website someone lands on.

And if your immediate reaction is, Wait… Google is doing WHAT with my ads?

Fair.

But before we collectively wrestle the steering wheel away from the robots, there are some genuinely useful things happening here.

The important part is understanding what AI Max actually does, what you’re handing over to Google, and what you absolutely should still be paying attention to.

First: What Is AI Max?

AI Max isn’t an entirely new campaign type. It’s a set of AI-powered features that can be added to Google Search campaigns.

According to Google, AI Max combines three major capabilities:

• Search term matching, which helps Google find relevant searches beyond the exact keywords you’ve provided.
• Text customization, which allows Google to generate or adjust headlines and descriptions based on what someone is searching for.
• Final URL expansion, which can send someone to a different page on your website if Google believes that page is more relevant to their search.

In other words, instead of you telling Google:

Show this ad, for these keywords, using this copy, and send everyone here…

you’re increasingly telling Google:

Here’s my business, my website, my goals and some direction. Go find the people most likely to convert.

That’s a pretty significant shift.

And Google Is Clearly Moving in This Direction

AI Max originally launched for Search campaigns in 2025, but Google has continued expanding its AI-powered advertising tools throughout 2026.

More importantly, Google announced that beginning in September 2026, certain campaigns using Dynamic Search Ads and campaign-level broad match settings will begin upgrading into AI Max.

Translation?

AI Max isn’t some experimental button hiding in the corner of Google Ads anymore.

This is where Google Search advertising is headed.

The Good News: Google Can Understand Intent Better Than It Used To

For years, Google Ads revolved heavily around keywords.

Someone searches:

“emergency plumber near me”

You bid on:

“emergency plumber”

Nice and tidy.

But real people don’t search in neat little keyword lists.

They search things like:

“who can fix a leaking water heater tonight”

or

“why is water coming out of the bottom of my water heater”

or

“24 hour plumbing company that can come today”

All three searches could represent an excellent potential customer for the same plumbing company.

AI Max is designed to understand more of that intent, rather than relying only on whether a person’s search closely resembles a keyword sitting inside your account. And that shift toward understanding intent instead of simply matching words isn’t limited to advertising. It’s changing organic search and AI-powered discovery, too.

That’s potentially very powerful for a small business.

You don’t have to predict every strange, hyper-specific way someone might search for what you sell.

Google says advertisers activating AI Max typically see 14% more conversions or conversion value at a similar CPA or ROAS, although, as always, that is Google’s aggregate performance data and certainly not a guarantee that every campaign will see the same result.

But Here’s Where I Start Guarding the Keys

There is a recurring theme happening across digital advertising right now:

Give the platform more information. Give the algorithm more flexibility. Let AI optimize.

And to be clear, I use automation in advertising.

A lot.

There are things Google’s machine learning can analyze exponentially faster than a human ever could. That’s also why our approach to Google Ads management combines automation with hands-on strategy and ongoing review.

What I don’t believe in is blindly turning everything on because Google put a little recommendation badge next to it.

Take Final URL Expansion.

Normally, when I create an ad, I choose where that ad sends someone.

With Final URL Expansion enabled, Google can decide that another page on your website is more relevant to someone’s search and send them there instead.

It can then dynamically generate headlines and descriptions to better match that page.

That could be fantastic.

Imagine you own an HVAC company and someone searches specifically for heat pump repair. Instead of sending them to your general HVAC services page, Google identifies your heat pump repair page as the better match and sends them directly there.

Beautiful.

Assuming your heat pump repair page is good.

And current.

And has the right phone number.

And isn’t a random page someone created four years ago that you’ve completely forgotten exists.

Suddenly that website cleanup you’ve been avoiding looks a little more important, doesn’t it?

If your website is becoming part of the information Google uses to power your advertising, website design and structure aren’t separate from your ad strategy anymore.

Your Website Matters Even More Now

This is one of the biggest takeaways I have for small businesses.

As Google Ads becomes more automated, the quality of the information you’re giving Google’s AI matters more.

If Google is using your website to better understand your business, select landing pages and generate relevant advertising content, your website isn’t simply where someone goes after clicking your ad.

It’s becoming part of the advertising system itself.

That means clear service pages matter.

Good website structure matters.

Accurate information matters.

Strong calls to action matter.

And the page about a service you stopped offering in 2022 should probably not still be lurking around your website like a digital ghost. 👻

This same shift is happening outside of paid advertising, too. As AI becomes more involved in how people search and discover businesses, your website needs to clearly communicate what you do to both people and search engines. How AI is changing search and business discovery.

AI-Generated Ad Copy Still Needs Adult Supervision

Text customization is another AI Max feature I like in theory and with oversight.

Google can use information from your website, existing ads and other assets to create text that better matches what someone searched for.

Again, there are obvious benefits.

More relevant ads generally create a better experience for the person searching.

But AI doesn’t know your business the way you do.

It doesn’t automatically understand every brand preference, competitive distinction, disclaimer, nuance or phrase you would never want associated with your company.

There’s also an interesting control issue worth knowing about: Google says that when Final URL Expansion chooses a different landing page, pinned responsive search ad assets may not be used because they might no longer match the selected page.

That’s one of those tiny settings with a very large “wait, what?” attached to it.

Automation is not the same thing as autopilot.

So Should Small Businesses Use AI Max?

Potentially, yes.

I’m not anti-AI Max.

Quite the opposite.

I think Google’s ability to understand search intent, uncover searches we might not have anticipated and dynamically create more relevant experiences has enormous potential.

But I would never recommend turning it on and simply assuming Google will take it from here.

Before giving AI Max more flexibility, I want to know:

• Are conversions being tracked correctly?
• Does Google understand which actions actually matter to the business?
• Are the website and landing pages strong enough to support Final URL Expansion?
• Are there pages that should be excluded?
• Are the search terms actually relevant?
• Is the campaign generating qualified leads, or simply more activity?
• Is the budget being spent where it creates actual business value?

Because Google Ads doesn’t know that 47 form submissions are worthless if 42 of them are looking for something you don’t sell.

More conversions does not automatically mean better marketing.

Better conversions do.

The Future of Google Ads Is Less Manual. Strategy Matters More, Not Less.

There’s an understandable fear that all this automation eventually means businesses won’t need someone managing Google Ads.

I think the opposite problem is emerging.

The platforms are becoming easier to operate.

That doesn’t necessarily make them easier to use well.

You can create campaigns faster.

Google can write more of the ads.

AI can find more audiences.

Algorithms can make thousands of bidding decisions without anyone touching a spreadsheet.

Great.

Now someone has to determine whether any of it is actually helping your business.

That’s the part I’m much more interested in.

Because Google’s job is to optimize the advertising system.

Your job is to make sure it’s optimizing toward the right business outcome.

And yes, occasionally that means telling the robot, Absolutely not. Put that URL back where you found it.

Need Someone to Take a Look at Your Google Ads?

Not sure whether you’re using AI Max, whether you should be, or exactly what Google has been doing with your campaigns lately?

That’s exactly the kind of thing I like digging into.

Ad Tech Social offers Google Ads management and account reviews built around actual business results, not simply accepting every recommendation Google throws onto the screen.

Request a Free Review

Whether the business sells software, managed IT services, advanced manufacturing solutions, cybersecurity, engineering technology, or a specialized platform, the marketing challenge is often similar: The people who understand the product are not always the people who understand how to explain its value.

A smarter Arizona technology advertising strategy connects technical credibility with a message customers can quickly understand. It reaches the right decision-makers, supports a longer buying process, and measures meaningful movement instead of celebrating impressions that never lead anywhere.

Start by making the complicated feel clear

Technology marketing often begins too close to the product. The message focuses on features, architecture, integrations, or technical terminology because those details matter deeply to the team that built it.

Customers usually enter the conversation somewhere else. They want to know what problem the product solves, what becomes faster or safer, what it replaces, who will use it, how difficult implementation will be, and whether the investment is worth the disruption.

Strong advertising does not oversimplify the product. It creates a clear entry point.

Instead of asking the audience to decode the technology, build the message around:

• The problem the customer already recognizes
• The business impact of leaving it unresolved
• The outcome the technology makes possible
• The people or organizations most likely to benefit
• The proof that reduces perceived risk

Technical detail still matters, especially later in the buying process. It becomes more persuasive after the customer understands why the solution deserves attention.

Match the channel to the decision

There is no universally best advertising platform for a technology company. The right mix depends on the audience, sales cycle, average contract value, market awareness, and whether customers are already searching for the solution.

Google Search

Search advertising is valuable when buyers can name the problem, category, or product they need. Campaigns should separate high-intent searches from broader educational searches so budgets are not consumed by curiosity that will never become a qualified opportunity.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn can help B2B technology companies reach audiences by role, industry, company characteristics, and professional context. It is often more expensive than other channels, so the offer and landing experience need to justify the cost. A useful benchmark, guide, webinar, case study, or targeted consultation may perform better than a generic “learn more” ad.

Meta

Meta can support awareness, retargeting, recruitment, event promotion, and founder-led storytelling. It may not always produce the final B2B conversion, but it can keep a company visible during a long evaluation process and reach business owners who do not spend their entire day on LinkedIn.

YouTube and video

Video is useful when the product needs a demonstration, the problem benefits from explanation, or trust in the people behind the company matters. A short ad can earn attention, while longer educational videos can support research and sales conversations.

Retargeting

Technology buyers rarely convert after one visit. Retargeting can reconnect with people who viewed a product page, read a case study, attended an event, or began a form. The follow-up message should advance the conversation, not simply repeat the first ad.

Build for the entire buying committee

Many technology purchases involve more than one decision-maker. A technical evaluator may care about security and integrations. An operations leader may care about adoption and workflow. A financial stakeholder may care about cost, efficiency, and risk. An executive may care about competitive advantage and timing.

One landing page cannot always answer every concern equally well. A stronger content and advertising system gives each stakeholder a useful next step.

• A clear overview page explains the business value.
• Technical documentation supports evaluation.
• A case study demonstrates results and implementation.
• A comparison or FAQ page addresses alternatives and objections.
• A cost, demo, or consultation page supports the buying decision.

Advertising brings the right person into the system. Content helps the rest of the buying committee become comfortable moving forward.

Plan for a longer sales cycle

A campaign can be effective without producing an immediate sale, particularly when the product has a high price, requires implementation, or changes how an organization operates.

That does not mean technology advertising should be vague or impossible to measure. It means the measurement plan should reflect the actual decision.

Early-stage indicators may include qualified traffic, engaged visits, video completion, guide downloads, return visits, or attendance at a webinar. Mid-stage indicators may include product page depth, case study engagement, demo requests, account activity, or sales-qualified leads. The final measures should connect to pipeline quality, opportunities, and revenue wherever the sales process allows.

Click-through rate and cost per click are useful diagnostic metrics. They are not the business outcome.

Use local relevance without shrinking the market

Arizona’s technology community creates opportunities for regional partnerships, events, referrals, recruiting, and market credibility. A company can use local relevance while still advertising nationally or globally.

Location-specific content can demonstrate familiarity with the market and support searches from companies that prefer a nearby partner. Event campaigns can target attendees around Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, Mesa, Tucson, and other relevant technology and business centers. Local case studies and partnerships can add proof.

The key is to use Arizona as a meaningful differentiator, not an artificial limitation. A technology company headquartered in Arizona can be locally connected and nationally competitive at the same time.

Prepare for AI-powered discovery

Technology buyers are increasingly using AI tools to define problems, compare categories, research vendors, and prepare questions. That makes clear, credible website content part of the advertising strategy.

When an ad creates awareness, the next search may not include the exact campaign message. A prospective customer may ask an AI assistant to explain the category, compare approaches, or identify Arizona providers. Consistent service descriptions, useful educational content, customer proof, and clear company information improve the business’s ability to participate in that research journey.

Advertising creates demand. Search and generative engine optimization help the company remain discoverable when the customer investigates.

A smarter strategy connects the whole system

The strongest Arizona technology advertising strategies are not collections of unrelated campaigns. They connect positioning, content, paid media, search visibility, retargeting, conversion paths, and analytics.

Before increasing the budget, ask:

• Can a new visitor understand the value within seconds?
• Are campaigns reaching the people involved in the buying decision?
• Does each ad lead to content that matches its promise?
• Is there a useful next step for someone who is interested but not ready?
• Can the team distinguish qualified activity from inexpensive activity?
• Are sales insights improving the next round of marketing?

Technology companies do not need louder advertising. They need clearer messages, better-connected channels, and measurement that reflects how customers actually buy.

That is what turns a campaign from a line item into a growth system.