OpenAI Introduces ChatGPT Ads in India: Here’s Who Will See Them and How Businesses Can Advertise

OpenAI has officially launched sponsored advertisements on ChatGPT in India, introducing an ad-supported model for users on its Free and Go plans. The move marks a major shift in how the company plans to monetize its growing consumer AI platform. Users subscribed to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education will continue to use the service without ads.

India is one of ChatGPT's fastest-growing markets, making it an important market for OpenAI's advertising strategy. The company says the new model will help support free access to ChatGPT while keeping advertisements separate from the AI's responses.

OpenAI Partners With WPP and Omnicom

OpenAI has partnered with global communications groups WPP and Omnicom as its launch agency partners in India. The agencies will help major brands create and manage advertising campaigns on ChatGPT.

More than 50 major brands are reportedly expected to launch campaigns this week. The partnerships are non-exclusive, with OpenAI planning to work with additional regional agencies as its advertising business expands.

ChatGPT Ads Manager Launches September 4

OpenAI is also opening its advertising platform to smaller businesses. The self-serve ChatGPT Ads Manager will launch on September 4, 2026, allowing companies to create and manage campaigns without relying on an agency.

The platform will offer:

• Launch date: September 4, 2026
• Starting budget: Rs 725 per day
• Target audience: Small businesses, startups and regional brands
• Campaign management: Self-serve through ChatGPT Ads Manager

The relatively low starting budget could make conversational advertising accessible to India's small and medium-sized businesses.

ChatGPT Ads Will Not Influence AI Responses

OpenAI says sponsored content will be clearly labelled and displayed separately from ChatGPT's organic responses. Most importantly, ads will not influence the answers generated by ChatGPT.

Privacy is another key part of the advertising model. Advertisers will not receive users' private conversations, chat histories or memories. Instead, they will have access to aggregated campaign metrics such as impressions and clicks.

OpenAI is also placing restrictions on advertising:

• Ads will not target minors.
• Political campaigns and sensitive political queries are excluded.
• Mental health-related queries will not be used for commercial targeting.

India Is a Key Market for OpenAI

Dave Dugan, Vice President and Head of Global Ads Solutions at OpenAI, highlighted India's importance as a market for personal learning and digital creation. OpenAI says its weekly active ChatGPT users in India have doubled year-on-year.

The launch could give advertisers access to consumers while they are actively researching products and services through AI conversations. With major agencies already on board and a self-serve platform arriving soon, OpenAI is positioning ChatGPT as a new channel for conversational advertising in India.