OpenAI Launches Cost-Per-Click Advertising in ChatGPT

OpenAI has enabled cost-per-click (CPC) advertising within ChatGPT, a move that transitions its nascent advertising business from an impression-based model to the performance-driven model that dominates online advertising. Advertisers can now bid between $3 and $5 per click, according to screenshots of the ad manager reviewed by Digiday.

From Impressions to Clicks 

When OpenAI began testing ads in ChatGPT on February 9, the platform set a fixed CPM (cost per mille) rate of $60—a level comparable to premium television inventory. Since then, pricing has trended downward. Last week, Digiday reported that CPMs had fallen to as low as $25 in some instances, and the minimum budget for the pilot program was reduced from $250,000 to $50,000. The shift to a cost-per-click (CPC) model closes a gap that had previously sidelined performance-oriented advertisers. As recently as April 14, Digiday noted that CPC options in the ad manager were listed as "coming soon."

Furthermore, the platform is developing a conversion tracking pixel—a tool that will allow advertisers to record user actions, such as purchases and sign-ups, completed after clicking an ad in ChatGPT. This is evidenced by code examined by Digiday. Simultaneously, OpenAI is recruiting its first Advertising Marketing Science Lead, a role focused on building the company's measurement infrastructure.

Ambitious Revenue Goals 

The expansion of the ad business comes as OpenAI targets $2.5 billion in advertising revenue for 2026, with an ultimate goal of reaching $100 billion annually by 2030, according to Axios, citing investor presentations. The company's advertising pilot surpassed a $100 million annualized revenue run rate just six weeks after its February launch. Amid rumors of an IPO later this year and a recent funding round that valued the company at $730 billion, OpenAI aims to prove that conversational AI can support an advertising business at the scale that has long fueled the success of Meta.

"Google and Meta own the industry’s measurement tools—that’s the real competitive advantage, not the interface," said Robert Webster, founder of AI marketing consultancy TAU. "Until an independent party can verify the actual value of an impression in ChatGPT, advertisers are essentially forced to take OpenAI at their word."