OpenAI has introduced a new ad format for ChatGPT that turns a click into a conversation with a brand's AI agent rather than a visit to the brand's website. The format, shown to select clients and verified by Digiday, lets advertisers attach a branded business agent to an ad - when a user clicks a "Chat to us" call-to-action, they enter a branded chat inside ChatGPT instead of being redirected elsewhere.
The move is an early step toward what OpenAI calls AI-native advertising, designed around how people actually interact with AI assistants. It goes beyond the basic ads the company currently places underneath ChatGPT responses for free and Go plan users. Wayfair is among the advertisers trialing the new format, according to a screenshot viewed by Digiday.
What the format does differently
OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar said at Goldman Sachs' Communacopia and Technology Conference on Sept. 8 that current ChatGPT ads are the "basic starting point." She added that the company is seeing "early indications" of what a more AI-native ad format could look like. "This is all before we've really launched a format that feels truly endemic to AI," she said.
Farhad Divecha, group CEO of Accuracast, compared the approach to Meta Ads that send users to WhatsApp. "It's a way to open lines of communication with prospects, and then advertisers can qualify the ones who need to talk to customer services and sales reps or be directed to the correct page to make a purchase," he said.
For marketers still learning how ChatGPT fits into a media plan, the shift is worth watching. Resources like ChatGPT Courses & Certifications and AI for Marketing cover the mechanics of working with the platform as it adds commercial features.
Advertisers are still testing the waters
Seven months into ChatGPT ads, advertisers remain cautious. Digiday's reporting has found a consistent theme: the platform is promising, but too early for firm conclusions about its role in a media plan. Until returns improve, investment will stay within experimental budgets.
"It makes sense that OpenAI is opening up their ad products," said Shamsul Chowdhury, svp of paid media at Zeno Group. "While they've been a hot new platform for advertisers, the ROI just hasn't been there for the most part."
The new format could change that by offering something closer to an in-platform shopping experience. But it raises a question for retailers: is there a benefit to keeping a potential customer inside ChatGPT rather than sending them to an owned site? Chowdhury said retailers want user data from their own properties, but they also know the consumer journey can happen anywhere.
Holiday season timing
The launch comes as advertisers prepare for the most important quarter of the year. With rising costs and flat returns on Google and Meta, Chowdhury said OpenAI could become an alternative channel for some spending - provided the agent experience works well. "That's the big 'if'," he said.
Every major ad platform has a signature format that defined its era: Google's text link ads, Facebook's News Feed ads, TikTok's in-feed video. OpenAI is searching for its own version, native to conversation rather than scroll or search. This agent-to-agent chat format may be an early attempt at finding it.
Why this matters for marketers
The format signals a shift in how ad clicks are expected to convert. Instead of optimizing for site traffic, marketers may soon need to optimize for conversation quality - how well their AI agent handles questions, qualifies leads, and moves users toward a purchase without ever leaving ChatGPT. Teams that test this format early will learn what works before it becomes a standard option across the platform.
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