March 15, 2026 — OpenAI has rolled out ChatGPT advertising launches globally at $60 CPM as AI assistants claim 56% of worldwide search volume.[1][2] The program began with U.S. testing in January-February 2026 on Free and Go tiers before expanding globally in its early stages between March 7-13.
Pricing stands at up to $60 CPM (cost per mille impressions), with a minimum buy-in of $200,000, comparable to Netflix ad tiers and three times Meta’s rates, according to reports from Ignite Visibility and ALM Corp. Over 100 brands have appeared in ads, led by retail and grocery sectors at 44%, including Target, Best Buy and Chewy, followed by travel firms like Expedia and Airbnb, and tech companies such as Canva and Zoom.
Ads display below responses, clearly labeled, and exclude users under 18 and sensitive topics. OpenAI COO Brad Lightcap described the rollout as an “iterative process” emphasizing user trust.
AI Search Dominance
A Graphite.io study using Q4 2025 data shows AI assistants, led by ChatGPT with 89% market share, generate about 45 billion monthly global sessions—equating to ChatGPT advertising launches globally at $60 CPM as AI assistants claim 56% of worldwide search volume.[1][2] This represents 56% of traditional search engine volume globally (34% in the U.S.), with search-like prompts at 28% of global search (17% U.S.). Notably, 83% of AI usage occurs via mobile apps, often undercounted in web analyses.
Rollout Details and Brand Adoption
The U.S. pilot integrated with Criteo on March 2, per ALM Corp. ChatGPT advertising launches globally at $60 CPM as AI assistants claim 56% of worldwide search volume.[1][2] gained attention in early March coverage. Retail and grocery brands dominate early ads, as noted by Marketing Dive.
“The rollout will be iterative,” Lightcap stated, focusing on maintaining user experience amid the shift.
One X post highlighted the $60 CPM compared to ad-free rivals like Perplexity and Anthropic. For related insights, see SEO Spyglass sitemap.
ChatGPT advertising launches globally at $60 CPM as AI assistants claim 56% of worldwide search volume.[1][2] underscores the platform’s growing influence, blending monetization with AI’s search market penetration.