OpenAI launches sponsored agents and new ad tools for ChatGPT

OpenAI on Wednesday introduced Sponsored Agents for ChatGPT, a new advertising format that lets users open a branded conversation with a business-sponsored AI agent after clicking an ad, rather than being redirected to a website. The feature is being tested with select advertisers in the United States, including Angi ↗ 1.40% and Wayfair ↗ 2.07%, as the company deepens its push into AI-driven marketing.openai+1

The announcement marks OpenAI's most ambitious advertising expansion since it began testing ads in ChatGPT in February, a business that reached $1 billion in annualized revenue run rate in under 200 days.securities

How Sponsored Agents Work

When a relevant ad appears in ChatGPT, users can choose to enter a clearly labeled conversation with a business-sponsored agent. In that exchange, a user can explain what they need, ask follow-up questions, and click through to the advertiser's website when ready. OpenAI said the sponsored conversation is distinct from ChatGPT's independent answers and separate from the user's original chat.openai

Angi co-founder Angie Hicks said in a press release that the pilot lets "homeowners go directly from discussing a home project in ChatGPT to connecting with a skilled local pro who can help." Wayfair has also confirmed its participation, using the pilot to explore whether conversational commerce can help shoppers make more informed decisions.globenewswire+1

New Campaign Tools and Partner Integrations

Alongside Sponsored Agents, OpenAI rolled out several tools aimed at simplifying ad creation. An Ads Manager plugin now lets advertisers use natural-language prompts in ChatGPT to create, update, and analyze campaigns. AI-assisted creative tools can suggest copy and imagery based on an advertiser's landing page, while an opt-in text customization feature adapts headlines and descriptions to conversation context and translates copy into a user's preferred language.reuters+1

The company also announced its first CRM and ecommerce partnerships. HubSpot ↘ 1.49% is OpenAI's first CRM partner, allowing businesses to create ads, track performance, and follow up on leads without leaving HubSpot. Shopify ↗ 1.51% is its first ecommerce partner, with U.S.-based merchants now able to manage ChatGPT ad campaigns from the Shopify App Store. The Shopify app will launch internationally in markets where ChatGPT Ads are available starting September 23.openai+1

A Growing Ad Platform

OpenAI's advertiser page lists Newegg ↘ 0.82%, Best Buy ↘ 0.44%, Lowe's ↗ 0.91%, and VistaPrint among early ChatGPT advertisers and is offering new advertisers $500 in ad credit when they spend $500. ChatGPT Ads are now available in more than 40 countries, with self-service access expanding across India, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.unite+1

The Sponsored Agents format raises questions about the boundaries between advertising, product discovery, and customer service on AI platforms. Under OpenAI's Ad Tools Terms, advertisers bear responsibility for their agent's content, configuration, and output.thedeepdive