ChatGPT image generation ads: a US test this month, 1.2 billion users
OpenAI announced on October 5, 2026 that later in October it will test visual ads that appear while ChatGPT generates an image and alongside the result, starting in the United States with an initial group of advertisers. The ads target free users, carry a sponsored label and are kept separate from the generated image; OpenAI says they will not influence ChatGPT's answers. Paying Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu users will not see them. ChatGPT now reaches 1.2 billion people a week. Text ads, launched in February 2026, run in more than 40 countries, and ad revenue is reported at about a $1 billion annual run rate
The three lines
- What — picture ads during image generation and beside results; US test later in October with first advertisers
- Who — free users only; paid tiers excluded; ads kept apart from the generated image
- Why — most of 1.2 billion weekly users don't pay; ads reportedly at a ~$1 billion run rate in 40+ countries
Key questions
- Will ChatGPT show ads in image generation
- **Yes — a US test of picture ads starts later in October 2026.** | Item | Detail | |---|---| | Announced | October 5, 2026 | | Start | Later in October | | Market | United States | | Advertisers | Initial test group | | Labeling | 'Sponsored', separate from the generated image |
- Do ChatGPT Plus users see ads
- **No.** | Plan | Ads | |---|---| | Free | Yes (test target) | | Plus, Pro | No | | Business, Enterprise, Edu | No | OpenAI has not said whether the image-ad test covers the low-cost Go plan.
- How many people use ChatGPT weekly
- **1.2 billion, according to OpenAI.** | Time | Weekly users | |---|---| | Oct 2025 | 800 million | | Oct 2026 | **1.2 billion** |
The seconds you spend waiting for ChatGPT to draw are about to become ad space. OpenAI said on October 5 that it will begin testing visual ads alongside image generation results later this month in the United States. Only free users will see them. ChatGPT now reaches 1.2 billion people a week, and most of them pay nothing.
1. From text links to pictures
Since February, ChatGPT ads have been text and link units under answers, and they have spread to more than 40 countries, including South Korea and, from August, India. The new format is visual: sponsored product images, reportedly in a swipeable carousel, shown under the progress bar while an image renders and next to the finished picture.
| Existing ads (since Feb) | Image ads (Oct test) | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Text and links | Pictures, product cards |
| Placement | Below answers | Image loading screen and results |
| Markets | 40+ countries | United States |
| Audience | Free and Go | Free |
| Partners | — | AppsFlyer, Adjust, Branch; DoubleVerify, Integral Ad Science |
OpenAI stresses that ads are clearly labeled, sit apart from the generated art and do not change ChatGPT's answers. Measurement and brand-safety partners are there to give advertisers the tools they expect from other platforms.
2. Why images, and why now
Image generation takes seconds to tens of seconds of a user staring at the screen — attention advertisers pay a premium for, much like pre-roll video.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Weekly ChatGPT users | 1.2 billion |
| Countries with ads | 40+ |
| Ad revenue run rate | ~$1 billion (reported) |
| Ads launched | February 2026 |
The money pressure is plain. SoftBank's cumulative investment in OpenAI reached $64.6 billion with a final tranche on October 1, and OpenAI has committed hundreds of billions of dollars to data centers. Subscriptions alone will not carry that. Meta, building its Muse assistant around advertising, is a direct rival for the same budgets.
3. Open questions for users
- Trust: a product appearing next to a picture you asked for can feel connected to your prompt. OpenAI has not detailed whether prompt content shapes ad selection.
- Upsell: the clearest way to avoid the ads is a paid plan — the ads double as a subscription funnel.
4. What remains unclear
- The $1 billion run rate is reported, not confirmed by OpenAI.
- No timeline for markets outside the US, or for the Go plan.
Sources
- TechCrunch — OpenAI launches visual ads that appear alongside image generation results
- BleepingComputer — OpenAI will show visual ads in ChatGPT while you generate images
- The Decoder — ChatGPT's new ad format fills the image generation loading screen with product carousels
- Android Headlines — ChatGPT Free Tier Is Getting Visual Ads During AI Image Generation