OpenAI Expands ChatGPT Ads to 89 Countries, Surpasses 100,000 Advertisers

OpenAI announced on Wednesday that it is expanding its ChatGPT advertising platform to 26 additional countries, bringing the total number of supported markets to 89. According to the company’s blog post, this expansion follows the platform’s launch just over eight months ago and coincides with the milestone of more than 100,000 advertisers using the service.

The new markets include 14 additional Latin American countries, such as Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru. OpenAI is also launching ads in Nigeria, South Africa, Serbia, Ukraine, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The expansion adds to the 31 European countries where ads were introduced in August, according to The Next Web.

Revenue Growth and Market Strategy

OpenAI’s advertising business has grown significantly since its inception. The company’s ad revenue reached an annualized $1 billion in August, a substantial increase from $100 million in March, Ashley Capoot reported for CNBC. This rapid growth comes as OpenAI prepares for a potential stock market listing, which Reuters reported could occur in 2027.

Competitors are reacting to the shift. Anthropic made OpenAI’s advertising model the central focus of its first Super Bowl campaign in February. According to CNBC, Anthropic pledged to keep its own chatbot, Claude, free of advertisements, positioning itself as an alternative for users concerned about commercial content in AI interactions.

User Impact and Privacy Measures

Advertisements in ChatGPT appear only for users subscribed to the Free and Go plans. Subscribers to Plus, Pro and Enterprise tiers remain unaffected, as their experiences stay ad-free. Advertisers can purchase space through technology partners or directly via OpenAI’s Ads Manager.

OpenAI stated that it keeps user conversations private from advertisers and does not sell customer data. The company is testing new features, including Sponsored Agents, which were launched last month with select US advertisers. Future plans include additional ad formats, buying options and improved measurement tools for businesses seeking to reach users within the chat interface.

What should you do?

Security and technology professionals should monitor how advertising integrations affect application security and data handling policies. Organizations using enterprise AI tools should verify their subscription tier to ensure ad-free environments. Users should review privacy settings and understand how data is used in free versus paid tiers.

What to do and how to stay safe: OpenAI

• Verify your subscription tier to confirm whether your ChatGPT experience includes advertisements.
• Review OpenAI’s privacy policy to understand how conversation data is handled regarding advertisers.
• Monitor official announcements for changes to ad formats or data usage policies.
• Evaluate enterprise AI solutions based on their advertising and data privacy commitments.

Step-by-step guide: Prompt Injection Warning Signs: How to Spot AI Manipulation

General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.

Frequently asked questions

Which countries are included in the new ChatGPT ad expansion?

The expansion adds 26 countries, including Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Nigeria, South Africa, Serbia, Ukraine, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Do paid ChatGPT subscribers see advertisements?

No, users with Plus, Pro and Enterprise subscriptions do not see ads; only Free and Go plan users are affected.

How much revenue did OpenAI’s ad business generate recently?

OpenAI’s ad business reached an annualized $1 billion in revenue in August, up from $100 million in March.