Openai To Test Visual Ads Alongside Chatgpt-generated Images
The US test will show labeled ads beside generated images, while OpenAI expands measurement tools and says ads will not affect ChatGPT’s answers.
OpenAI plans to test visual advertisements alongside images generated in ChatGPT later this month, starting in the United States. The ads will feature products and services from an initial group of advertisers, according to TechCrunch. OpenAI says they will be labeled, kept separate from the image a user creates, and will not affect ChatGPT’s answers.
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What users will see
The new format adds images of sponsored products and services to ChatGPT’s existing ads. Until now, ads have appeared in a sponsored area beneath a response, showing an advertiser’s name, logo and website link, according to Engadget and The Verge. The Verge says the visual format will initially appear when users generate images; Engadget reports that OpenAI intends to experiment with other formats later.
Users on ChatGPT Plus, Pro and Enterprise plans will not see ads in their conversations, according to Engadget and The Verge. OpenAI says it has safeguards intended to keep advertising out of unsuitable discussions. Engadget cites personal health and mental wellbeing as examples of sensitive topics, while The Verge describes the company’s aim as avoiding emotionally vulnerable or otherwise inappropriate contexts.
How the ad business is developing
The test builds on ads introduced earlier this year. The Verge dates their arrival in ChatGPT to February; Engadget describes it as the start of the year. TechCrunch reports that OpenAI expanded ads to India in August to support its free and lower-cost subscription tiers. The visual test, however, is limited to the US for now.
TechCrunch also reports that OpenAI is broadening the tools advertisers can use to assess campaigns. Its measurement partners include attribution providers such as AppsFlyer and Adjust, as well as companies working on more extensive campaign measurement. OpenAI is exploring geographic experiments with Haus, Measured and WorkMagic, and developing brand-suitability evaluation pilots with DoubleVerify and Integral Ad Science, according to TechCrunch.
What remains to be tested
OpenAI is presenting visual ads as a way for advertisers to show how their offerings might fit into users’ lives, Engadget reports. Whether the format works for advertisers—and how users respond to seeing ads beside image-generation results—remains to be seen. TechCrunch notes that the ads could disrupt the user experience. For now, the company is testing the format with a limited advertiser group rather than making it available broadly.
Sources
This story was compiled by AI from the reports below. Read the originals for the full details.