OpenAI tests sponsored agents inside ChatGPT ads

OpenAI is testing business-sponsored agents that ChatGPT users can talk to from ads, according to Reuters. The company is also adding AI-powered tools for advertisers, including campaign creation, creative generation, analysis and contextual copy, as it expands ChatGPT Ads beyond simple placements.

The shift matters because it turns ads from static links into interactive agents. A user who clicks an ad could continue the conversation with a branded assistant, ask follow-up questions and move closer to a purchase or support flow inside ChatGPT. Reuters says HubSpot is the first CRM partner, while Shopify’s app is expanding internationally where ChatGPT Ads are available.

For users, this raises the usual transparency question: sponsored answers and sponsored agents need to be clearly labeled so paid conversations do not blur into ordinary assistant help. For advertisers, it signals that OpenAI wants ChatGPT to compete not just with search ads, but with the broader stack of campaign creation, targeting, customer interaction and conversion tools.