ChatGPT Ads Expand to 89 Countries in Revenue Push
OpenAI is expanding ChatGPT ads to 26 more countries, taking the total to 89, as its ad business reaches a $1 billion run rate ahead of a possible IPO.
OpenAI said on Wednesday it is expanding advertising in ChatGPT to 26 more countries. That brings the total number of markets with ChatGPT ads to 89, as the company builds a new revenue engine ahead of a possible public listing.
Ads now live in 89 countries
The expansion adds 14 more countries in Latin America, including Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru, after earlier launches in Mexico and Brazil. Ads are also launching across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, with new markets including Nigeria, South Africa, Serbia, Ukraine, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Pakistan. OpenAI said advertisers can reach the new markets through its technology partners or buy directly through a self-service Ads Manager.
A $1 billion ad business in the making
OpenAI said back in August that its ads business had already reached an annualized revenue run rate of $1 billion. The company started testing ads in ChatGPT in the United States earlier this year, and more than 100,000 advertisers have run campaigns on the platform since then. The push matters because OpenAI is spending huge sums on computing power and data centers, and advertising could become a major new income stream as it heads toward a potential IPO.
Free users see ads, paid plans stay clean
Ads will appear only on the Free and Go plans of ChatGPT. Plus, Pro and Enterprise subscribers will keep an ad-free experience. That keeps the premium tiers as the paid path while free users help fund part of the service through advertising.
New tools for advertisers
In September, OpenAI introduced AI-powered tools for advertisers and started testing business-sponsored agents with select advertisers in the US. These sponsored agents are designed to help brands show up inside the ChatGPT experience, suggesting the company wants ads to feel like a natural part of using the assistant.
Sources
- Reuters - https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/openai-expands-chatgpt-ads-26-more-countries-bid-boost-revenue-2026-10-21/ - Channel News Asia - https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/openai-expands-chatgpt-ads-26-more-countries-in-bid-boost-revenue-6479191 - CNBC TV18 - https://www.cnbctv18.com/technology/openai-expands-chatgpt-ads-to-26-more-countries-in-bid-to-boost-revenue-20016453.htm