Early in 2026, OpenAI officially made a switch to ads inside of ChatGPT, which was a move many are calling one of the biggest shifts in search marketing since Google rose to prominence. As a result, our team has been flooded with one big question: Can we run ads on there yet?
The short answer is that it’s not quite time, and for good reason.
The Enterprise-Only Cover Charge
Ads on ChatGPT are currently in a closed testing phase that’s reserved for larger global brands, like McDonalds and PepsiCo. For everyone else, there are steep barriers to entry, which include:
- A $200,000 minimum spend to test out the platform
- The Premium Cost (CPM): The current pricing is around $60 CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions), which is roughly three times the cost of high-quality placements on Google or Meta
This price point makes sense for advertisers with massive budgets, but not for businesses focused on efficient and sustainable growth.
Why OpenAI Thinks It’s Worth It
OpenAI is betting that conversational intent is more valuable than traditional search intent. When a user spends time talking about a specific problem with an AI engine, the ad opportunity that directly responds to the query isn’t a guess but a contextual solution. This can be powerful in theory.
At the same time, however, a $60 CPM is a gamble without conversion data to back it up.
Our ROI-First Approach
At WordJack Media, we don’t chase shiny new trends. Instead, we chase results. Until ChatGPT ads move out of this new phase and into a self-serve model, which we anticipate could happen later in 2026, we will continue to watch closely and wait for proven data.
After more data is available and this type of ad option becomes more mainstream, we’ll be ready to help you implement it.
In the meantime, if you have any questions about how this shift could affect your future marketing strategy, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Marketing Manager.
