OpenAI is set to expand its advertising business with a new visual ad format that will appear alongside images generated by ChatGPT. The company announced that it will begin testing the format in the US later this October, initially with a limited group of advertisers. The ads will show products or services through images designed to help users discover brands while they are creating or exploring visual content.
According to OpenAI, the advertisements will be clearly labeled and kept separate from the images generated by ChatGPT. The company also stressed that ads will not influence the answers provided by the chatbot. The move expands an advertising system that OpenAI began testing earlier this year.
The new format is designed around situations where users are already exploring products, ideas or experiences. Rather than relying only on text, advertisers will be able to use images showing product inspiration, how an item is used or the type of experience it can offer.
For now, OpenAI plans to test the format specifically during image generation. The company said the initial rollout will involve a select group of advertisers in the US, with broader use depending on how the tests develop.
The visual format is part of a wider push to build out ChatGPT Ads. OpenAI is also expanding the tools advertisers can use to measure campaign performance and connect ChatGPT advertising with their existing marketing systems.
The company has added integrations with Hightouch, Tealium and LiveRamp for sending conversion data to ChatGPT Ads. It is also working with attribution companies including AppsFlyer, Triple Whale, Adjust and others to help businesses track clicks and conversions across web and app campaigns.
Also Read: How ChatGPT Ads Work: OpenAI’s New System from Google Feed to Sellers
OpenAI said that maintaining a clear distinction between advertising and the chatbot's responses remains a key part of its approach. The company says visual ads will be labeled as advertisements and will not be used to influence ChatGPT's answers.
The company is also developing additional brand-suitability measures and testing partnerships with DoubleVerify and Integral Ad Science. These efforts are intended to give advertisers more information about where their campaigns appear while preserving the privacy of users' conversations.
The new format marks another step in OpenAI's effort to turn ChatGPT into an advertising platform, while testing how commercial content can fit into an AI experience without becoming part of the answers themselves.