OpenAI Declines Search Ad Budgets, Charts Own Path for ChatGPT

SAN FRANCISCO — OpenAI is declining search advertising budgets from marketers who want to treat ChatGPT like a traditional search engine, Digiday reported Tuesday.

The company has been telling marketers that ChatGPT should not be viewed through the same lens as conventional search engines like Google, declining to accept budgets earmarked specifically for search advertising, according to Digiday.

“Maybe ChatGPT is a different kind of a place,” according to the Digiday report, which characterized OpenAI as viewing its platform as distinct from the search-and-click advertising model that has dominated digital marketing for two decades.

The move comes as OpenAI has been gradually exploring advertising as a potential revenue stream alongside its subscription business. The company, which launched its ChatGPT search feature in late 2024 to compete with Google, has been fielding interest from brands and agencies seeking to place ads within AI-generated responses.

OpenAI’s reluctance to accept traditional search budgets indicates the company is pursuing an advertising approach that fits the conversational nature of ChatGPT rather than adopting the keyword-based search advertising model pioneered by Google.

The decision has drawn attention from the digital advertising industry, where marketers have been watching how AI chatbots might reshape the global search advertising market.

For marketers, OpenAI’s stance raises questions about how to allocate budgets toward AI platforms. Brands have been seeking to establish an early presence on ChatGPT as its user base has grown.

OpenAI’s approach stands in contrast to other AI companies that have moved more quickly to monetize through traditional advertising models. Google has integrated AI-generated overviews into its existing search advertising infrastructure, while Microsoft has embedded ads within its Copilot AI assistant.

Digiday noted that OpenAI’s position includes a qualifier of “for now,” suggesting the company may revisit advertising arrangements on its own terms and timeline.