ChatGPT maker OpenAI said May 7 it will expand its ads pilot to the U.K., Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and Mexico markets in the coming weeks.
The pilot was previously only available in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
“We’re excited to begin expanding the ChatGPT ads pilot into additional regions following strong interest from businesses looking to reach users in a more conversational, intent-driven environment,” said David Dugan, the longtime Meta ads exec who now heads up OpenAI’s global ads solutions, in a statement.
As part of the pilot, ChatGPT users may see ads in categories like shopping, retail, or travel. However, the company said it’s using advertiser feedback as it considers how to scale its ads business.
The announcement comes just two days after OpenAI launched its network of self-service ad platforms in the U.S.
OpenAI’s ads program seems to be on a the fast track
OpenAI surged out of the gates this year to build an ads business. It said in January 2026 that it would show ads to people using its lower-priced or free tiers. Since then, it has tinkered relentlessly on its plans.
The ambitiously high minimum commitments from companies that want to test ChatGPT ads have since been lowered according to some reports. It has also extended its pilot timeline beyond its original March end date, lined up major brands and advertisers as clients, and pushed out new ad products to bring it closer to mimic the products of longtime digital ad giants like Google, Meta, and Amazon.
These new products include an ads manager, which it began testing in March, and which lets advertisers track whether ads led to conversions—allowing buyers to prioritize actions taken by audiences as opposed to simple ad exposure. That could better position OpenAI as a performance marketing player capable of competing for budgets against the tech giants.
In late April, OpenAI updated its privacy policy to share more user data with advertisers and adtech partners, and built out its adtech partner ecosystem, so brands can buy ChatGPT ads through companies like StackAdapt, Kargo, and Pacvue.
