OpenAI has reached an annualized ad revenue figure above $100 million from its ChatGPT advertising pilot, the company said through a spokesperson, marking the milestone approximately six weeks into the program.
The revenue was generated by fewer than 20% of U.S.-based ChatGPT Free and Go users who are shown advertisements on a daily basis, according to the spokesperson. The company also noted that roughly 85% of Free and Go users are eligible to see ads, indicating a larger eligible population than the current daily-ad-served subset.
OpenAI has expanded the number of advertisers participating in the pilot to more than 600. The spokesperson said the company is preparing to roll out a self-serve option for advertisers in April to broaden access and simplify campaign setup.
On ad quality, OpenAI reported that fewer than 7% of advertisements have been rated by users as low relevance. The company said it is actively working to improve ad relevance as part of the pilot’s ongoing development.
Context and implications
The metrics shared by the company point to a rapid monetization trajectory for the advertising element of ChatGPT’s Free and Go tiers, driven by a relatively small portion of eligible U.S. users who are currently receiving ads daily. Expansion of the advertiser base and the pending launch of self-serve access are positioned as steps to scale the program.
What the company disclosed
- Annualized ad revenue from ChatGPT has exceeded $100 million.
- Revenue was earned from fewer than 20% of U.S.-based Free and Go users who see ads daily; about 85% of Free and Go users are eligible to view ads.
- More than 600 advertisers are participating in the pilot; self-serve advertiser access is planned for April.
- Fewer than 7% of ads have been rated by users as low relevance.
Summary
Within roughly six weeks of starting an ad pilot for ChatGPT Free and Go users, OpenAI reported annualized advertising revenue north of $100 million, backed by a participating advertiser pool exceeding 600. The program currently serves ads daily to under 20% of eligible U.S.-based Free and Go users while maintaining a user-rated low-relevance rate below 7%. The company plans to introduce self-serve advertising tools in April to widen advertiser access.