March 13, 2026 — OpenAI launched a pilot advertising program in ChatGPT at approximately $60 per 1,000 impressions (CPM) through partner Criteo, enabling 17,000 advertisers access in the Free and Go tiers in the US, as Google AI Mode reached more than 75 million daily active users globally.
The ChatGPT advertising goes live at $60 CPM, as Google AI Mode reaches 75M users, marking a significant entry into AI-driven ad inventory amid competitive growth in conversational platforms, according to a March 1-10 digital marketing summary. Pricing matches premium environments like NFL broadcasts or Netflix’s ad tier, with a $200,000 minimum commitment required for beta participation.
ChatGPT Advertising Pilot Details
Ads appear after AI responses in a low-clutter conversational interface, excluding sensitive topics, users under 18, temporary chats, and image generation. Reporting provides impressions and clicks but limited attribution. Early data shows higher conversion rates than traditional sources, though not conclusive across industries. First placements were identified as early as February 9, 2026, with Criteo integrating on March 2.
OpenAI charges approximately $60 CPM, roughly three times the standard Meta CPM rate and comparable to Netflix’s ad-supported tier pricing.
(ALM Corp)
Search Engine Land reported on January 26, 2026, that ads target free and Go tiers with basic metrics only. MarTech questioned value at NFL-level pricing on January 27, 2026.
The ChatGPT advertising goes live at $60 CPM, as Google AI Mode reaches 75M users, shifting from direct sales to programmatic access.
Google AI Mode Milestone
Google’s AI Mode surpassed 75 million daily active users by early 2026, confirmed by Google executive Nick Fox. Expansions included Canvas to all US users on March 4 and support for 53 new languages during March 1-10. Integrations feature Gemini 3 Flash and Universal Checkout Process for in-conversation purchases.
Google’s Nick Fox confirmed AI Mode has grown to 75 million daily users worldwide.
(Search Engine Journal, Dec. 19, 2025)
The ChatGPT advertising goes live at $60 CPM, as Google AI Mode reaches 75M users, highlighting ecosystem fragmentation challenging Google-Meta dominance.
Industry and Social Media Reactions
X discussions note the premium pricing, with users comparing $60 CPM to Meta’s sub-$20 rates. For example, one post stated OpenAI targets ~$60 CPMs inside ChatGPT, on par with live NFL broadcasts (X post).
The ChatGPT advertising goes live at $60 CPM, as Google AI Mode reaches 75M users, as echoed in multiple threads. Early performance suggests potential despite measurement limits.
“ChatGPT advertising operates in a post-intent environment.”
— Caroline Giegerich (MarTech)
For related analysis, see ALM Corp’s pricing breakdown.