March 2, 2026 — New York Criteo announced it has become the first advertising technology partner to integrate with OpenAI’s ongoing advertising pilot in ChatGPT’s Free and Go tiers in the United States, enabling approximately 17,000 advertisers programmatic access to high-intent ad placements during AI conversations, according to Criteo’s press release.
The rollout is set to begin in the coming weeks, with sponsored ads appearing below ChatGPT responses without influencing AI outputs. This development aligns with the headline from an ALM Corp blog post: “ChatGPT Ads Go Live: OpenAI Expands Programmatic Advertising Pilot with Criteo at $60 CPM This March 2, 2026, development marks OpenAI’s entry into digital advertising, allowing 17,000 advertisers access via high-intent AI conversations—potentially disrupting Google and Meta’s dominance with premium placements and higher conversions.”
Partnership Details
Criteo, which activates more than $4 billion in annual media spend globally, will support commerce-focused advertising across categories in conversational AI environments. The integration focuses on discovery and consideration moments within large language model platforms like ChatGPT.
“This integration with OpenAI represents an exciting step forward in advancing advertising in an emerging AI experience,” said Michael Komasinski, Chief Executive Officer of Criteo. “Through this pilot, we are helping shape how advertising can support discovery and consideration within Large Language Model (LLM) platforms, grounded in experiences that are additive, relevant, and built on user trust.”
Ads first appeared in ChatGPT on Feb. 9 as part of the pilot announced in January, initially tested with agencies including Dentsu, Omnicom, and WPP, per Adweek.
Pricing and Accessibility
OpenAI charges approximately $60 CPM for the placements—roughly three times typical Meta rates and comparable to premium video like Netflix—according to the ALM Corp analysis. Access requires a minimum commitment of $200,000 directly from OpenAI, though Criteo offers entry points of $50,000 to $100,000, making the inventory more accessible, as reported by Ad Age.
The ALM Corp blog reiterates: “ChatGPT Ads Go Live: OpenAI Expands Programmatic Advertising Pilot with Criteo at $60 CPM,” highlighting the shift from direct sales to programmatic scale.
Performance Data
Early insights from 500 U.S. Criteo retailers in February 2026 show users referred from LLM platforms like ChatGPT convert at 1.5 times the rate of other channels, according to Criteo’s press release and Adweek.
Industry Coverage and Reactions
Additional reports include AdExchanger on Criteo joining the pilot and Digiday detailing pitch decks to advertisers. On X, @MarketingEdgeM posted on March 14: “Criteo first to integrate with OpenAI’s ChatGPT pilot” (link), while @adage shared coverage on March 11 (link).
The pilot represents OpenAI’s expansion into programmatic advertising, with Criteo noted as the first major ad tech platform partner.