We’ve been watching the ChatGPT story unfold for weeks now, but it’s finally official: ChatGPT ads are here. While this is still an early rollout, the direction is becoming a little clearer.

OpenAI has begun testing ads directly inside ChatGPT with first live examples appearing Tuesday February 10 2026, placing sponsored messages within the flow of conversation and aligning them to what users are actively asking about.

Source: OpenAI

This will not be your average display or search campaign—it’s advertising inside an environment people already trust to help them think, decide, and solve problems. That alone makes this moment both exciting and high stakes. No pressure!

The latest updates as of February 10, 2026

Ads are now live for logged-in adult users in the U.S. on the Free and Go versions of ChatGPT. They appear clearly labeled as sponsored and sit below the AI’s response, not inside the answer itself. OpenAI has been explicit that ads do not influence how ChatGPT responds, although targeting is primarily conversation-based, matching ads to what a user is engaging with in real time, supported by limited contextual signals.

Another new update confirms that users remain in complete control of this environment, though there are some tradeoffs. Users can turn personalization off, limit ads, dismiss ads with feedback, or clear ad data entirely—but Free users who limit ads may see fewer available messages unless they upgrade to a paid tier.

Source: OpenAI

For advertisers, access is still currently gated. OpenAI does not have an official waitlist and is instead actively reaching out to large brands, but early testing reportedly requires a minimum investment around $200K and $60 CPM. They are focused on a premium rollout to derive learnings rather than scale to ensure success.

Why brands are paying attention and why caution is necessary

The appeal is clear. Conversational AI offers relevance at the exact moment of intent, something marketers have been chasing for years. When done well, ads in this environment have the potential to feel like an addition rather than a disruption.

At the same time, hesitation is both expected and healthy. Several factors make this a channel that requires careful consideration:

• High-intent moments, high expectations: Users come to ChatGPT expecting credible, helpful answers, which raises the bar for brands. Ads must enhance the experience, not interrupt it.
• Trust and brand safety come first:

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  Credibility is foundational in conversational AI. Any brand presence needs to align with the tone, accuracy, and usefulness users already associate with the platform.

• Limited measurement and optimization: Early reporting is largely impression-based, without the depth performance teams typically rely on to assess impact or refine investment decisions.

• Premium context, but limited scale: With high minimum investments and restricted participation, this is a testing ground rather than a channel built for broad experimentation.

For now, brands exploring ads in ChatGPT must be comfortable testing in a high-intent, premium environment while accepting that insight, scale, and control will evolve over time.

DAC’s perspective on ChatGPT ads

We see ChatGPT ads as a meaningful signal of where discovery is heading. Conversations are becoming a new entry point to the funnel—as we have seen in the explosion of the LLM space and the everchanging Google landscape—and brands that understand the need to capitalize on this and shift their mindset will be better positioned as this space matures.

Moving thoughtfully now matters more than moving quickly. Although brands may be tempted to jump in as quickly as possible, there needs to be a balance of agility and care. As a first mover and early adopter, being smart and strategic is critical.

DAC is actively partnered with OpenAI and receives regular updates directly from its teams as a high-interest agency partner. That gives us close insight into how the platform is evolving and what’s coming as access expands.

What this means for brands right now

For brands considering early testing in conversational AI, now is the time to move from curiosity to planning. Even if large-scale activation isn’t imminent, understanding how advertising functions in environments like ChatGPT will be critical as this channel evolves. That’s why DAC’s media playbook and planning approach sees LLM/AI optimization and testing as a critical and necessary part of driving success for our clients in a fast-changing landscape.

At DAC, we’re already helping our clients assess readiness, identify the right use cases, and design thoughtful test-and-learn approaches that balance innovation with trust, brand safety, and measurement.

If you’re exploring whether ChatGPT ads make sense for your brand, now is the right time to start that conversation. Reach out to us to learn more.