OpenAI rolls out new visual ad format, measurement tools for ChatGPT ads

It’s Advertising Week, which means there are plenty of splashy marketing product launches to sift through. This year, OpenAI, which is in the midst of building out ChatGPT’s advertising business, is responsible for some of them.

The company, which first began testing ads in the US in February, rolled out a new visual ad format, new measurement tools, and new brand suitability capabilities for ChatGPT Ads around the conference. Along with debuting the new ad format, ChatGPT is bolstering its measurement offerings; it will support reporting and click attribution through measurement providers like Kochava and is developing pilots with brand suitability companies DoubleVerify and Integral Ad Science.

The announcement comes as OpenAI continues to build out its ads business and expand upon its in-house measurement tools, like its Conversions API, ahead of a potential IPO.

Picture this: The visual ad format will allow advertisers to insert images that show product inspiration or illustrate how it’s used. It will initially be tested when users generate images through ChatGPT’s Free and Go plans, although visual ads will be labeled and remain distinct from the images being generated, the company said. OpenAI will begin testing the format later this month with a cohort of US advertisers.

Measure up: Whatever ad format advertisers leverage in ChatGPT, OpenAI’s measurement offerings are designed to allow advertisers to gauge conversions and click attribution. Ad-tech partners include Kochava, Tealium, and Triple Whale.

The company is also testing the ability to measure ChatGPT ads’ influence on brand resonance with ad-tech platforms Kantar and Cint. OpenAI is also working on incrementality measurement tools for ChatGPT ads, although tests with related ad-tech platforms like Haus and WorkMagic are still in early stages, the company said.

OpenAI is also in the early stages of building out brand suitability measurement pilots, which it is developing with Integral Ad Science and DoubleVerify. In the meantime, it’s making Negative Phrases, a tool that prevents ads from showing up in response to user queries with words or terms brands deem inappropriate, more widely available.

Move the needle: OpenAI has expanded the ad formats and ad-tech offerings within ChatGPT in the span of months as it races toward an IPO. In the past few months, the company has announced ChatGPT ad partnerships with ad-tech platforms like Criteo and Pacvue, expanded ChatGPT ads into 31 new markets, and hired ad business leadership including global ads boss David Dugan. OpenAI is also allowing more regulated verticals to advertise in ChatGPT and increasing its ad load, testing multiple ad placements in some query responses. The new measurement tools, which advertisers have been asking for, come on the heels of the in-house Conversions API and pixel tools OpenAI first debuted for ChatGPT ads in May.