ChatGPT Is Getting Ads, and Big Retail Is Already on Board

Gotrade News - OpenAI has officially started rolling out ads inside ChatGPT, and the first batch of partners reads like a who's who of American retail and tech. Target, Adobe, Williams-Sonoma, and Albertsons have all signed on as early partners in the company's Ad Pilot Program.

This marks a notable shift in how OpenAI plans to make money beyond subscriptions. For the digital advertising world, ads showing up inside an AI chatbot open a whole new channel that could reshape how people discover and buy products.

Key Takeaways:

• OpenAI has begun testing ads in ChatGPT for free and Go-tier users in the US, signaling a push to diversify revenue beyond subscriptions
• Four major companies have joined as early partners, pointing to real corporate appetite for conversational AI advertising
• The ad format is designed to appear contextually within conversations rather than as standalone interruptions

OpenAI announced on February 9 that the ad trial had gone live for logged-in adult users on its Free and Go plans in the United States. According to PYMNTS, the company had first flagged its advertising ambitions back on January 16.

Target was among the first confirmed partners on the same day. Ads from Target and its retail media arm, Roundel, will show up alongside user conversations within ChatGPT.

In an official fact sheet, Target noted that conversational AI is increasingly shaping how consumers discover ideas and weigh their options. The company sees this as a fresh way to reach shoppers right when they're in decision-making mode.

Adobe also jumped in as a pilot partner that same day. The creative software giant wants to figure out how ads can deliver relevant experiences without eroding user trust in ChatGPT's responses.

Retail and Grocery Get in Early

Williams-Sonoma hopped on board February 11 as an early participant. CEO Laura Alber called the collaboration a chance to develop a new advertising approach, one that's contextual and aligned with how users actually expect to interact with the platform.

Albertsons followed on February 12, with a focus on ads that are relevant, timely, and personalized. Per PYMNTS, the grocer's first ads in this format zeroed in on Valentine's Day, popping up alongside searches like "best flowers for Valentine's Day."

Albertsons Chief Commercial Officer Jennifer Saenz stressed that their goal is advertising that enhances the customer journey rather than getting in the way. That thinking mirrors a broader industry shift away from disruptive ads toward contextual ones.

The four early partners span a wide range of consumer sectors, from general retail and creative software to home furnishings and groceries. That diversity suggests OpenAI is keen to stress-test the ad format across different conversation types all at once.

What This Means for the Broader Ad Landscape

Ads landing in ChatGPT could chip away at digital ad dollars that have long flowed to Google and Meta. Conversational AI platforms offer a different kind of moment, one where users are actively hunting for solutions or comparing products.

Still, the big question remains whether OpenAI can pull off monetization without burning user trust. Adobe explicitly flagged that keeping trust in ChatGPT's responses intact is a top priority throughout this pilot.

For OpenAI, nailing this program could lay the groundwork for a sustainable ad revenue stream. A company that's still burning through massive amounts of capital on AI development clearly needs more ways to bring in cash beyond subscription fees alone.

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Reference:

• PYMNTS, OpenAI Taps Retail Giants for First Wave of ChatGPT Ad Testing. Accessed on February 24, 2026

• Featured Image: Shutterstock