Can You Advertise on ChatGPT? A 2025 Guide for Digital Marketers

Welcome to the future of marketing, where AI doesn’t just assist, it influences.

ChatGPT has evolved from a fascinating breakthrough into a widely used tool for marketers in every role, that too in just a few short years. With over 300 million weekly users across its website, mobile app, and integrations across platforms like Microsoft, G-Suite apps, Canva, and more, it is unsurprisingly gaining traction.

AI in digital marketing has become more mainstream. ChatGPT has created a space where conversations drive user engagement, and not just clicks. Unlike traditional advertising platforms, ChatGPT has the scope to offer a more personalised way to reach and interact with potential customers. This may translate into a massive change in how brands approach TG identification, targeting, messaging, and conversions.

So, today, can you actually run advertising on ChatGPT? What would those ad formats look like? And how can marketers prepare for what’s coming next?

In this blog, we will break down the current landscape of ChatGPT for marketers, explore OpenAI’s early ad experiments, and dive into the strategic opportunities brands should start preparing for. Whether you are a digital strategist, media buyer, or brand manager, this primer will help you understand where ChatGPT fits in the future of digital advertising.

Can You Advertise on ChatGPT Today?

Advertising on ChatGPT is no longer theoretical; it has become a tangible reality. OpenAI quietly began testing advertising for the free tier of ChatGPT users. Selected brand messages started showing up in relevant conversations as “sponsored content”. This marked the first step in ChatGPT becoming a fully functioning AI advertising tool.

ChatGPT currently does not offer a formal advertising dashboard like Google Ads, yet. Since the aim of OpenAI is to prioritise relevance and user trust above rapid monetization, these experiments are slow, deliberate, and carefully monitored.

For now, brand presence in ChatGPT can take two forms:

• API Integration: 
• Companies connect their services to ChatGPT using code (APIs).
• Example: Blinkit lets ChatGPT fetch real-time grocery information or pricing when users ask about food.
• Prompt-Engineered Experiences:

• Brands can create branded prompts like:
  “Find the best skincare routine from [Brand]”
• When users ask questions like this, ChatGPT can provide answers that feature that brand, especially if their content is structured well online.

The goal of advertising on ChatGPT is natural integration with the context, and not clickbait content or pop-ups that disrupt the user journey. This will make ChatGPT ads feel like helpful answers and not like sales pitches.

OpenAI has maintained its stance that any future advertising model to be user-centric first. According to their announcements, ChatGPT-sponsored content will remain transparent, non-disruptive, and aligned with the original utility of the chatbot. This suggests that OpenAI is committed to adopting an ethical approach ot advertising that enhances user experience rather than interrupting it.

In short, while advertising on ChatGPT is still in its nascent stage, it’s clearly on the roadmap, and smart marketers should start paying attention.

How AI and Conversational Advertising Work

Traditional advertising (like Google Ads or Meta Ads) relies on interruption. Users see display banners, search ads, or sponsored posts while browsing or scrolling. It is certainly effective, but not always welcomed.

Conversational advertising flips that script. Instead of interrupting a user’s journey, it aims to become a part of it, embedded naturally within a conversation. Powered by AI advertising tools, these interactions feel more like helpful suggestions than sales pitches.

What Is Conversational Advertising?

• It uses AI-powered systems (like ChatGPT) to deliver brand messages within real-time conversations.
• Instead of pushing static ads, AI suggests relevant services or products based on context.
• Example: A user asks, “What’s the best credit card for travel?” and ChatGPT may suggest a sponsored response from a financial brand.

Why It’s More Personalised

• AI understands intent, tone, and user preferences mid-conversation.
• Ads feel contextual and useful, not forced or out of place.
• It adapts in real-time, changing suggestions based on follow-up questions or clarifications.

How It Differs from Google & Meta Ads

As ChatGPT ad opportunities evolve, it offers a more human, helpful alternative, one that modern users may trust more than traditional ad formats.

Potential Ad Formats in ChatGPT

As OpenAI experiments with monetisation, several ChatGPT ad formats are beginning to take shape, designed to be subtle, contextual, and non-disruptive.

Here are some speculative but highly logical ad formats that marketers may see emerge:

• Sponsored Replies: AI-generated answers that feature ChatGPT-sponsored content from vetted brands (e.g., “Here’s a popular fitness app: [Brand Name]”).
• Product or Service Recommendations: Integrated suggestions based on user intent, like recommending a travel booking tool, an online course, or a credit card.
• Lead Capture Flows: Interactive Q&A flows that guide users toward signing up for a service or requesting a callback.
• Brand Mentions in Context: Natural mention of products or services in response to user queries, similar to influencer-style mentions but AI-generated.

These would likely be native ads in AI platforms, designed to blend seamlessly into the conversation rather than disrupt it like pop-ups or banners.

The emphasis is on intent-driven engagement, not attention-hijacking. If done well, these ChatGPT ad formats could feel like helpful recommendations rather than ads, delivering real value to users and high-quality leads to brands.

Why ChatGPT Matters for Marketers

With over 100 million active users each month, ChatGPT isn’t just a tool; it’s a channel. And for marketers, that means a massive opportunity to connect with users in a new, intelligent way.

What makes ChatGPT different is its role as a trusted digital assistant. Users actively seek its guidance for decisions, what to buy, where to go, and which service to choose. That makes it a prime space for brand visibility, especially as ChatGPT ad formats continue to evolve.

For early movers, this is a golden window. Brands that start integrating with ChatGPT now—through plugins, APIs, or prompt-based brand experiences—can gain a unique share of voice before the platform becomes saturated.

Think of it as a new layer in your digital marketing funnel:

• Use ChatGPT to build awareness via AI-generated content.
• Drive mid-funnel interest through helpful brand mentions.
• Capture leads with conversational flows or intelligent recommendations.

A strong ChatGPT marketing strategy today isn’t just future-proofing; it’s a competitive advantage.

How Can Brands Use ChatGPT for Marketing

As marketing with generative AI gains momentum, forward-thinking brands are beginning to explore creative ways to integrate their offerings into conversational AI platforms like ChatGPT.

One emerging tactic is branded prompt engineering. For example, a fitness brand might encourage users to ask, “Find the best workout plan from [Brand Name]”, triggering a helpful, AI-generated recommendation that subtly promotes the brand’s product or service.

Here are a few ways brands can leverage ChatGPT for business growth:

ChatGPT Brand Integration Use Cases:

• Customer Support: Brands can use the GPT API to automate answers to FAQs, troubleshoot issues, or offer guided support, reducing costs while improving experience.
• Product Finders & Recommendation Engines: AI chat flows can guide users to the right product based on preferences or needs, enhancing conversion rates.
• Content Generation: Use ChatGPT to produce blog posts, product descriptions, or social media captions—saving time and ensuring consistency.
• Microscripts for Sales Teams: Generate real-time sales responses or lead-nurturing scripts personalised to each prospect.

These use cases show the potential of ChatGPT brand integration not just as a campaign tool but as an embedded layer of your overall marketing infrastructure.

The takeaway? This isn’t just a chatbot—it’s a branded experience waiting to happen.

Challenges and Ethical Concerns

As we enter the age of AI in digital marketing, it’s essential to recognise the risks that come with innovation. One major concern is bias in AI-generated responses, which could impact brand reputation or spread misinformation unintentionally.

Transparency is another challenge. With brand messaging via AI, how do users distinguish organic from sponsored suggestions? Clear labelling will be crucial to maintaining trust.

Data privacy and consent also raise red flags. As AI systems learn from user interactions, ensuring secure handling of personal data becomes non-negotiable.

To address this, OpenAI has taken a cautious approach—prioritising safety, introducing usage policies, and signalling a user-first governance model for the future of AI advertising. For brands, navigating this space responsibly will be just as important as getting in early.

Preparing Your Marketing Strategy for ChatGPT

Want to stay ahead of the curve? Now’s the time to build a proactive ChatGPT marketing strategy.

Here’s how marketers can start preparing:

• Develop Branded Prompts: Identify the key questions your customers ask and structure them to include your brand in natural ways.
• Build AI-Friendly Landing Pages: Make sure your content is conversational, scannable, and aligned with the types of answers ChatGPT is likely to generate.
• Optimize Brand Messaging for Conversational Flow: Shift from ad-speak to helpful, human-like responses that feel natural in a chat-based experience.
• Experiment with the GPT-4 API: Create chat-based tools, product recommenders, or lead qualification bots powered by AI-powered marketing logic.

These are just a few ChatGPT use cases for marketers looking to future-proof their strategy. Whether through automation, customer engagement, or brand storytelling, integrating with ChatGPT now positions your business ahead of the curve.

Key Takeaways

ChatGPT is more than a trend—it’s an evolving platform that’s redefining how brands connect with people. As ChatGPT advertising matures, early adopters will have a clear advantage.

The future of digital advertising lies in relevance, utility, and context, and ChatGPT checks all those boxes. From brand integration and prompt engineering to customer support and lead generation, this is a channel you can’t afford to ignore.

So what should marketers do?

• Stay informed
• Be strategic
• Start small—but start now

Whether you’re a startup or a scale-up, having a ChatGPT marketing strategy in place today is the smartest way to be ready for tomorrow’s AI-powered landscape

Want help integrating AI into your marketing? Talk to our team at AdHook Media for a custom AI-powered digital strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions About Advertising on ChatGPT

     1.Is ChatGPT ad-free?

Currently, ChatGPT is ad-free for users of both free and paid versions. As of now, you will not see any display ads or sponsored content while using ChatGPT.

    2.How to create AI ads with ChatGPT?

You cannot use ChatGPT as a traditional ad platform. However, you can use ChatGPT to create ad copies and even generate images to go along with them.

    3.Can you advertise on Perplexity?

As of now, Perplexity AI does not offer ad placements like Google Ads or sponsored content options. It focuses on AI-generated search and answer experiences without intrusive advertising.

   4.How to advertise a business on ChatGPT?

Currently, you cannot run ads for your business directly on ChatGPT. However, if your content is authoritative, well-cited, and SEO-optimised, it may be referenced in ChatGPT’s answers, offering organic visibility over time.