Software companies are already swarming ChatGPT's ad economy

OpenAI has begun testing ads in ChatGPT, and early data show the feature could become a major revenue stream while remaining limited in scope. Analyses of tens of thousands of prompts from adtech firms Profound and Adthena found software ads dominate (34% of placements) and creator/design tools add another 15%; travel queries also attract many advertisers (Expedia, Airbnb, Hilton, Royal Caribbean). Overall ad incidence is low today — roughly 1–2% of prompts — but commercial-intent queries (eg, “buy …”) trigger ads at higher rates (about 15%). OpenAI has opened a wider ad-buying tool and is encouraging advertisers to apply, raising competitive implications for Google, Meta, and Amazon and sparking debates about privacy and personalization. The rollout is early-stage; trends suggest substantial upside for ad sellers and platform monetization if ad frequency and targeting expand.