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Lead DevelopmentFACT · 4/5•29 Sept '26•Via AdExchanger

OpenAI Pitches Sponsored Agents, Publisher Monetization Unclear

OpenAI is positioning sponsored agents as the future of AI-native advertising. At AdExchanger's Programmatic I/O, Colleen Coulter, global ad solutions lead, highlighted the launch of Sponsored Agents, a new ad format enabling direct brand-agent conversations. This follows the introduction of a custom audience feature for ChatGPT Ads, allowing targeting based on emails, phone numbers, and advertising IDs, addressing advertiser feedback for more relevance. However, publishers remain skeptical, as AI-driven traffic declines impact their revenue, and OpenAI does not view additional compensation as necessary, pointing to citations and engagement insights as sufficient value. ChatGPT Ads recently hit a $1 billion run rate, but with a $100 billion ad revenue goal by 2030, significant gaps remain. OpenAI's S-1 filing limits its ability to discuss financial projections, leaving the future of publisher monetization uncertain.

•OpenAI launched Sponsored Agents, a new ad format for brand-agent chats.
•ChatGPT Ads introduced a custom audience feature using emails, phones, and advertising IDs.
•Colleen Coulter, OpenAI's global ad solutions lead, spoke at Programmatic I/O on September 28, 2026.

Entities:OpenAI

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FACT · 4/522 Sept '26· Via OMR

German Marketers Share Mixed First Experiences with ChatGPT Ads

OpenAI's ChatGPT Ads launched in Germany in late August, allowing advertisers to book via agency partners or a self-serve tool. Early feedback from German marketers is mixed. Dentsu's Markus Caspari sees potential but notes high CPMs and limited reporting. Performance marketer Carlo Siebert reports poor results, with few clicks and conversions, and tracking discrepancies. OpenAI's VP Ads, Dave Dugan, acknowledges the beta stage and promises improvements. Criteo reports CTRs 2-3x higher and 80% new customers, especially effective for consultation-heavy categories. OpenAI is also testing 'Sponsored Agents' and partnering with Best Buy for in-Chat commerce.

•ChatGPT Ads launched in Germany end of August 2026 with self-serve tool available since August 31.
•Dentsu is an early agency partner; Criteo integrates ChatGPT Ads into its Criteo Go platform.
•Marketer Carlo Siebert spent $10,000 on a B2B campaign with poor results and paused due to tracking issues.

OpenAI dentsu Criteo AXA CHECK24 Best Buy

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FACT · 4/516 Sept '26· Via Meedia

OpenAI tests ChatGPT ads that link to brand agents instead of websites

OpenAI is testing a new ad format in ChatGPT where clicking an ad opens a conversation with a brand's AI agent within the chat interface, rather than redirecting to the advertiser's website. This shifts the advertising funnel from a click to a conversation. The format is being tested with companies like Wayfair, who confirmed participation. OpenAI has not commented. The ads are labeled and OpenAI states advertisers cannot influence chatbot responses or access user data, only aggregated performance data. This development could change how brands engage consumers and how ad success is measured, focusing on conversation quality rather than clicks.

•OpenAI is testing a 'click-to-chat' ad format that opens a conversation with a brand's AI agent in ChatGPT.
•The new format replaces traditional website landing pages with chatbot dialogues.
•Ads are available in 31 European markets, including Germany.

OpenAI Wayfair

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FACT · 4/515 Sept '26· Via ExchangeWire

Thrad launches self-serve DSP for AI conversation ads

Thrad, an advertising platform for AI conversations, has launched a self-serve DSP. This enables marketers to directly create and launch campaigns within large language models (LLMs), without needing a managed-service setup. Advertisers can add products or connect a catalogue feed, and the platform's AI assistant can draft campaign structures, ad groups, and ads, which require review before going live. The platform aims to reduce operational friction and give marketers more control over advertising in AI conversations. The announcement was made on September 15, 2026, positioning Thrad as a key player in the emerging AI advertising space.

•Thrad launched a self-serve platform for advertising inside LLMs.
•The platform allows marketers to create and launch campaigns directly.
•Advertisers can add individual products or connect a catalogue feed.

Thrad

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FACT · 5/510 Sept '26· Via Digiday

Amazon Ads in ChatGPT Pilot Extends Supply-Chasing Streak

Amazon Ads and OpenAI have partnered to enable select U.S. advertisers to run ads within the ChatGPT app, with the pilot launching on September 10, 2026. Delta Vacations is among the first brands testing this integration. Advertisers can manage campaigns through Amazon Ads' existing infrastructure, leveraging Amazon's first-party shopping data and low-fee programmatic deals, available on both cost-per-click and cost-per-impression bases. Ads appear as clearly labeled text or images below ChatGPT responses. This strategic move extends Amazon's DSP reach into conversational AI, competing with The Trade Desk and positioning ChatGPT as new inventory alongside existing partners like Netflix, Roku, Spotify, Disney, Hulu, and ESPN. OpenAI's advertising business recently surpassed $1 billion in annualized revenue, aiming for $100 billion by 2030. Amazon's Q2 2026 ad revenue reached $19.8 billion, up 26% year-over-year. The partnership occurs amid Federal Trade Commission scrutiny and a lawsuit over auction practices, but the integration proceeds, highlighting the convergence of retail media, programmatic advertising, and AI-driven search.

•Amazon and OpenAI have partnered to offer ChatGPT Ads through Amazon DSP in a U.S. pilot, launched September 10, 2026.
•Delta Vacations is among the first brands testing ads in ChatGPT, managed via Amazon Ads' existing infrastructure.
•ChatGPT Ads surpassed a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate, targeting $100 billion by 2030.

Amazon Ads Amazon OpenAI Netflix Roku Spotify SiriusXM Disney Hulu ESPN The Trade Desk Google Criteo StackAdapt EMARKETER Meta Sensor Tower Anthropic Canva monday.com Delta Air Lines IAB Europe Similarweb Best Buy HubSpot

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FACT · 4/510 Sept '26· Via ExchangeWire

Adform becomes OpenAI tech platform partner for ChatGPT ads in Europe.

Adform has been announced as one of OpenAI's technology platform partners as ChatGPT Ads expands into Europe, enabling advertisers to plan, control, and measure chat-based ad campaigns within its existing omnichannel platform. This integration provides a unified view of the customer journey by connecting conversions from ChatGPT with other Adform campaigns. Volkswagen and Vodafone are among the first companies testing the access, focusing on brand presence and channel performance. The rollout, which began in August 2026 across 31 European markets, supports ad formats on free and lower-cost plans, with paid plans remaining ad-free. Advertisers can utilize CPM, CPC, conversion optimization, geo-targeting, and custom audiences, while OpenAI ensures ads are clearly labeled and do not influence ChatGPT responses. Adform's partnership aligns with its broader AI-driven advertising strategy, including MCP support and collaboration with IAB Tech Lab on agentic standards.

•Adform is a technology partner for OpenAI's ChatGPT Ads in Europe, enabling ad campaign management and measurement.
•The partnership allows advertisers to buy ChatGPT inventory through Adform's platform and connect conversions with other campaigns.
•Volkswagen and Vodafone are early testers of ChatGPT Ads.

Adform OpenAI Vodafone StackAdapt Pacvue Criteo Adobe Volkswagen

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FACT · 4/57 Sept '26· Via adseed Affiliate News

ChatGPT Ads launch in Germany, Google PMax and AI Max updates

The weekly SEA news roundup covers the official launch of ChatGPT Ads in Germany, including details on minimum budget, targeting, and reporting. OpenAI has introduced automated bidding and platform targeting for US advertisers. Google is testing channel prioritization within Performance Max campaigns and has enabled data feeds for AI Max for Search. Google also rolled out a report for AI-generated product titles in Shopping campaigns. Demand Gen now supports messaging from YouTube ads, travel tools, and multimodal AI video creation. Asset Studio integrates Gemini Omni for video production and simplifies A/B testing. Additionally, Google announced new alcohol advertising policies effective September 30, 2026.

•OpenAI launched ChatGPT Ads Manager in Germany with a minimum daily budget of €15.
•ChatGPT Ads introduced automated bidding (Maximize results) and platform targeting for iOS, Android, and web.
•Google is testing channel prioritization controls for Performance Max campaigns.

Google OpenAI

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