ChatGPT ads come with premium prices — and limited data

OpenAI is pitching premium-priced ads in ChatGPT — with far less data than advertisers are used to getting.

What’s happening. According to a report, OpenAI is pricing ChatGPT ads at roughly $60 per 1,000 impressions — about three times higher than typical Meta ads. Despite the cost, advertisers will receive only high-level reporting, such as total impressions or clicks, with no insight into downstream actions like purchases.

Why we care. ChatGPT is emerging as a brand-new, high-attention ad environment — but one that comes with trade-offs. The high CPMs and limited reporting mean early tests will be more about brand exposure and learning than performance efficiency.

For marketers willing to experiment, this offers a first-mover chance to understand how ads perform inside AI conversations before the format scales or measurement improves.

The tradeoff. OpenAI has left the door open to expanding measurement in the future, but it has publicly committed to never selling user data to advertisers and keeping conversations private. That stance limits the kind of targeting and attribution advertisers expect from platforms like Google or Meta.

Who will see ads. The first ads will roll out in the coming weeks to users on ChatGPT’s free and lower-cost Go tiers, excluding users under 18 and conversations involving sensitive topics such as mental health or politics.

Between the lines. OpenAI is positioning ChatGPT ads as a premium, trust-first product — betting that context, attention, and brand safety can justify higher prices even without granular performance data.

Bottom line. ChatGPT ads may appeal to brands willing to pay more for visibility in a new AI-driven environment, but the lack of measurement will make performance-focused advertisers think twice.

Dig deeper. OpenAI Seeks Premium Prices in Early Ads Push (Subscription needed)

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