For a long time, the logic was simple: someone would search on Google, discover a brand on Instagram or TikTok, and then click through to a website.
This logic does not disappear. But its centre of gravity shifts.
More and more people are no longer just typing in keywords. They’re asking full questions: ‘Which tool should I choose?’, ‘How can I organise my bookings?’, ‘What’s the best way to sell a training course?’, ‘What support best suits my needs?’
They’re no longer just looking for a webpage. They’re looking for an answer, a comparison and, sometimes, a decision.
It is in this space that OpenAI is testing and gradually rolling out adverts in ChatGPT. This development does not mean that Google Ads, Meta Ads or TikTok Ads will become obsolete. Rather, it means that a new discovery channel is taking shape: the conversational interface.
For businesses, creators, consultants, coaches and freelancers, the real question is therefore not simply: ‘When will I be able to buy an advert on ChatGPT?’
The real question is: Is my offer clear enough to be understood, recommended or clicked on in a conversation?
ChatGPT Ads: what has been announced?
OpenAI launched an initial trial of adverts in ChatGPT in the United States on 9 February 2026. The trial applies to adult users on the Free and Go plans. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu accounts remain advert-free.
OpenAI’s stated aim is to support access to free services whilst maintaining the usefulness and trust associated with ChatGPT.
In practical terms, an advert may appear below ChatGPT’s response, in a visually separate space that is clearly identified as sponsored. The format may include the advertiser’s name, logo, a headline, a short description, an image and a landing page.
This is a key point: No advert is included in ChatGPT’s response. OpenAI states that the responses are generated independently of the advertising system and that an advertiser cannot modify, rank or bias them in their favour.
This distinction is crucial. In a traditional search engine, adverts are often directly intermixed with the results page. In ChatGPT, however, OpenAI seeks to maintain a visible boundary between the conversational response and the sponsored placement.
It is therefore important not to confuse two things:
- be quoted or recommended in an AI response
- appear in a paid advert space below this reply
The former depends, in particular, on a brand’s quality, clarity and digital presence. The latter is part of an advertising system currently being rolled out.
Where do ChatGPT adverts appear and which users are affected?
Availability is being rolled out gradually by design
According to OpenAI’s current documentation, adverts may appear in ChatGPT for certain Free and Go users in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Minors under the age of 18 are not included in this trial.
Temporary conversations do not display adverts. OpenAI also states that it excludes sensitive topics, including personal health, mental health and politics.
For advertisers, Ads Manager is currently available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea.
Nuance matters: a country may be affected by changes in the ecosystem without it yet being possible for a local company to freely create campaigns there.
France does not yet appear on the Ads Manager’s official list of available countries (as at 13 August 2026). French companies should therefore not announce ChatGPT campaigns as if the channel were already open to them. However, it is very much in their interests to start preparing their online presence, their positioning and their landing pages right now.
How does ChatGPT choose which adverts to display?
ChatGPT Ads does not work like a simple list of exact keywords
OpenAI states that the system can draw on the context of the current conversation to identify the most relevant adverts. If the user has enabled personalised advertising, other signals may also be used, such as certain interactions with adverts and elements from their ChatGPT experience.
OpenAI points out, however, that advertisers do not receive users’ conversations, chat history, memories, names, email addresses, IP addresses or precise locations. They receive aggregated data, such as impressions and clicks.
For an advertiser, this fundamentally changes the approach.
On Google Ads, someone might search for ‘coaching booking software’. In ChatGPT, they might explain that they offer coaching services, that they receive enquiries via messages, that they waste time finding available slots, and that they want a straightforward process for their clients.
Intention is no longer limited to a request of just a few words. It is expressed within a situation.
It is both an opportunity and a requirement: the offer must be very clear. A vague advert, an ambiguous promise or a confusing landing page will make even less sense when they appear after a conversation that has already been specific.
Why ChatGPT Ads could change digital acquisition
The major change is not just down to a new advertising space
It lies in the moment when this element appears.
Google often comes into play when someone carries out a search. Instagram and TikTok come into play when they are discovering, finding inspiration or planning for the future. ChatGPT comes into play at a different stage: when someone wants to understand, compare, choose or move forward.
This can add further value to adverts linked to a specific intent.
Someone asking how to centralise their links, highlight their offers and simplify their bookings isn’t simply consuming content. They may be looking to solve an operational problem within their business.
But we must keep a clear head: the ad formats, targeting, costs, rules and metrics of ChatGPT Ads are still in their infancy. No serious professional should promise that this channel will replace Google Ads or Meta Ads, nor that it will automatically generate sales.
What we can say, however, is more interesting: digital visibility is becoming increasingly conversational.
The brands that will succeed won’t necessarily be the ones that shout the loudest. They will be the ones whose offering can be quickly understood, easily compared and followed up with a simple action.
SEO, GEO and AI advertising: what businesses need to prepare for
SEO remains essential. A well-structured, useful, fast and credible page remains the foundation for being found on the web.
But AI interfaces are strengthening another discipline: GEO, which stands for Generative Engine Optimisation. The idea is not to manipulate artificial intelligence. It is about making your creator business sufficiently understandable so that an AI, a search engine or a user can clearly identify:
- what you offer
- for whom
- What problem are you solving?
- what sets you apart
- how to take action
A company wishing to prepare for the gradual arrival of AI advertising can start with five very practical initiatives.
Clarifying the promise
Your homepage must be able to answer a simple question within a few seconds: ‘What does this company help you to do?’ Avoid abstract wording. Talk about the concrete outcome, the target audience and the problem solved.
Create useful pages, not just sales pages
Explanatory content, guides, case studies, comparisons and answers to frequently asked questions help users make decisions. They also help search engines and AI interfaces better understand your brand. The blog VIFLY could, for example, serve as a starting point for explaining the challenges of marketing, visibility and conversion.
Handling the destination after the click
A campaign can never make up for a confusing page. If someone lands on your profile, they need to understand what to do next: explore an offer, view content, book an appointment or get in touch with you.
Reducing friction
A link in the bio listing ten destinations, bookings available only via direct messages, or an offer that’s hard to find will cause you to lose that hard-won attention. A LinkHub VIFLY can help bring together important links, offers and content into a more readable layout.
Prepare for conversion before capturing attention
Advertising creates an opportunity for discovery. It does not, on its own, build trust. For a coach, consultant, trainer or freelancer, making the booking process visible and straightforward is often more strategic than adding yet another post. With VIFLY Booking, the aim is precisely to guide an interested person towards a clear course of action, without engaging in unnecessary back-and-forth.
Should you already be setting aside a budget for ChatGPT Ads?
Not necessarily
In France, the most sensible approach is to wait for the official launch of the channel rather than shifting Google or Meta budgets prematurely.
However, businesses that already have a solid customer acquisition funnel can still lay the groundwork:
- identify the questions their prospective customers ask before making a purchase;
- create landing pages tailored to these search intentions;
- structuring offers in a way that is easy to understand;
- track clicks, enquiries, bookings and sales;
- maintain a useful editorial presence on their current channels.
When ChatGPT Ads becomes more widely available, brands that have already done this groundwork will be able to test more quickly and learn from a stronger foundation.
Conversational advertising will not replace substantive marketing. It will simply make it more visible.
Conclusion: attention is always the beginning, never the end
Google, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and now AI assistants cater to different stages of a person’s journey.
The discovery might come from a video.
The comparison can be made in a conversation with ChatGPT.
The decision will then depend on how clear your offer is and how easy it is to take action.
That is why strategy must never be limited to impressions, clicks or visibility.
Whatever platform leads to the discovery, there must then be a straightforward path: a clear identity, a straightforward offering, grouped links and an accessible booking process. This is precisely the role of a page VIFLY well-structured: turning attention into understanding, understanding into trust, and then trust into opportunity.
FAQ – Adverts in ChatGPT
What is ChatGPT Ads?
ChatGPT Ads refers to the advertising system being trialled by OpenAI in ChatGPT. Adverts may appear below the responses, in a separate space labelled as ‘sponsored’.
Do adverts influence ChatGPT’s responses?
OpenAI says no. The responses are generated independently of the advertising system, and advertisers cannot modify, rank or target ChatGPT’s responses.
Who can see adverts in ChatGPT?
Advertisements may be displayed to certain adult users subscribed to Free and Go plans. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu accounts remain ad-free.
Are ChatGPT adverts available in France?
Not yet available to advertisers, according to OpenAI’s current official list. Ads Manager is available in several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea, but not France.
Will ChatGPT Ads replace Google Ads or Meta Ads?
No. ChatGPT Ads represents a new acquisition channel currently under development. Google, Meta, TikTok and YouTube each retain their own distinct uses, audiences and moments of discovery.
What is GEO?
GEO, or Generative Engine Optimisation, is to improve the clarity, structure and usefulness of its online presence so that it is better understood by search engines and generative AI interfaces.
What should you do to prepare for the possible arrival of ChatGPT Ads in France?
Start by clarifying your offering, strengthening your useful content, creating good landing pages and reducing friction between discovery and action. You can Create your VIFLY space to organise your links, offers and bookings.