OpenAI tests Sponsored Agents in ChatGPT: conversational ads let users chat with business-sponsored agents
gaganghotra_ · x · 2026-09-17
OpenAI is testing a new ChatGPT ad format called Sponsored Agents with select US advertisers: after clicking a relevant ad, users can opt into a clearly labeled conversation with a business-sponsored agent, explain what matters to them, ask follow-up questions, and click through to the business's site when ready.
Key details:
- OpenAI says conversations with a Sponsored Agent are distinct from ChatGPT's independent answers and separate from the user's original chat.
- Search Engine Roundtable obtained the email OpenAI sent advertisers, confirming the format plus other ChatGPT Ads updates including easier ad creation.
It marks a shift from search-style ads toward conversational, agentic advertising inside ChatGPT.
Related event: OpenAI Tests Sponsored Agents Ads in ChatGPT(2 posts)→
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