OpenAI is expanding ChatGPT ads to 26 more countries, bringing the ad product to 89 markets in total, the company said in a post on Wednesday. OpenAI also said more than 100,000 advertisers have now run campaigns on ChatGPT since ads launched just over eight months ago.
The new markets include 14 more Latin American countries, among them Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru. Mexico and Brazil already had ads from an earlier expansion. Outside Latin America, the rollout reaches additional markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, including Nigeria, South Africa, Serbia, Ukraine, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
OpenAI did not publish the full list of 26 countries in its announcement. The expansion builds on earlier waves that took ads across Europe, Southeast Asia and Taiwan. As of late August, ads were live in 38 countries, including the U.S., Japan, South Korea and 31 European nations.
Key facts
- 01OpenAI is expanding ChatGPT ads to 26 more countries on October 21, 2026, bringing the total to 89.
- 02More than 100,000 advertisers have run campaigns on ChatGPT since ads launched just over eight months ago.
- 03New markets include 14 more Latin American countries, among them Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru.
- 04Ads appear only on the Free and Go plans; Plus, Pro and Enterprise remain ad-free.
- 05OpenAI said in August that its ads business was running at a $1 billion annual revenue pace.
The advertiser count has grown quickly. ChatGPT had roughly 20,000 advertisers in late August, compared with the more than 100,000 OpenAI cited on Wednesday.
Who sees the ads has not changed. Ads appear only for users on the Free and Go plans. Plus, Pro and Enterprise subscriptions remain ad-free. Advertisers in the new countries can buy placements through technology partners or through self-serve access in OpenAI's Ads Manager.
OpenAI's pitch to advertisers leans on scale and timing. The company says more than 1.2 billion people use ChatGPT every week, and that ads can appear during the consideration stage of a conversation, when a user is weighing options. L'Oréal Group is among the brands OpenAI highlighted as an early tester.
“Testing early with OpenAI enables us to pioneer helpful experiences and journeys”— Asmita Dubey, L'Oréal Group CDMO
The company repeated the privacy commitments it has attached to the ad product since launch. OpenAI says conversations stay private from advertisers, customer data is not sold, ads are labeled and kept separate from answers, and advertising does not influence what ChatGPT says in its responses.
OpenAI said it plans to add new ad formats, campaign objectives, buying options and measurement tools. It began testing a format called Sponsored Agents with a group of U.S. advertisers last month.
The ad business is becoming a real line item for OpenAI. In August, the company said its ads business was earning revenue at an annual pace of $1 billion, up from $100 million in March. OpenAI is reportedly targeting $2.5 billion in advertising revenue this year.
Advertising remains a point of contrast between OpenAI and Anthropic. Anthropic built its February Super Bowl campaign around OpenAI's ads and pledged to keep Claude ad-free, while OpenAI has kept its paid tiers free of ads and extended the ad-supported experience to its free and low-cost users across 89 countries.
Working on something we should cover, or seeing a story we missed? Send leads, documents, or feedback to hello@aichatdaily.com. For sensitive tips, see our secure tips page for Signal and PGP options.
Spotted an error? Email hello@aichatdaily.com with the URL and the issue, or read our full corrections policy.
