OpenAI has partnered with Smartly as its first creative adtech partner, marking a shift toward more advanced advertising inside ChatGPT. The collaboration builds on OpenAI’s early ad rollout and aims to evolve simple, contextual ads into interactive, personalized experiences.
Smartly, known for helping brands like Spotify and Uber optimize campaigns in real time, will now bring that same capability to ChatGPT advertisers. In the initial phase, it will help brands continuously adjust ad performance, but the bigger goal is to introduce conversational ads—formats that behave more like ChatGPT itself.
These ads would allow users to interact directly with brands, ask questions, and receive tailored recommendations in real time. Similar formats already tested by Smartly, such as chatbot-style campaigns for retail brands, have shown significantly higher engagement and conversion rates compared to traditional ads.
Right now, ChatGPT ads remain basic and context-driven—for example, showing a relevant product when a user searches for something related. But with more than 100 brands already testing placements, OpenAI sees a major opportunity to turn user intent into action through more dynamic ad experiences.
The potential is significant. Analysts estimate OpenAI could generate billions in ad revenue in the coming years, though competing with established players like Google and Meta will be challenging due to their dominance and scale.
At the same time, OpenAI is taking a cautious approach. Ads will remain clearly labeled, won’t influence responses, and user data won’t be sold to advertisers. Certain sensitive topics will remain ad-free, and younger users won’t see ads at all.
The key challenge is balancing personalization with trust. While conversational ads could make advertising more relevant and useful, OpenAI must avoid making users feel monitored or manipulated. Even competitors like Anthropic have rejected ads entirely for this reason.
Ultimately, OpenAI’s strategy is gradual—testing what users accept, refining the experience, and slowly building a new kind of ad model that feels less like interruption and more like assistance.