Retail brands lead ChatGPT ad adoption with 44% share

OpenAI’s move to introduce advertising within ChatGPT responses is drawing participation from more than 100 brands across multiple industries, according to data shared by app analytics firm Sensor Tower.

The ads, which began appearing after an early test in February 2026, have been running for about four weeks. Sensor Tower analysed two weeks of ad activity and found brands from sectors including retail, grocery, travel, entertainment, software, media and delivery participating in the experiment.

Retail brands accounted for the largest share of advertisers, making up about 44% of the brands identified in the test. Brands in that category included Chewy, Target, Sephora, Lowe’s and Wayfair.

Many advertisers appear to be applying strategies similar to those used in Google search advertising, while some brands are experimenting with the format to understand what types of ads perform best. Brands such as Best Buy, Preply and Canva were cited as examples of advertisers testing different approaches.

The analysis also noted that several large brands have not yet participated in the ad pilot. These include Amazon, Costco, Walmart and Apple.

OpenAI began testing advertisements in ChatGPT responses in February for logged-in adult users in the United States on the Free and Go subscription tiers. The test was intended to evaluate how ads function within the chatbot’s experience and to gather user feedback before making broader changes.

The advertisers will not have access to user conversations, chat history, memories or personal details. Instead, advertisers will receive only aggregated performance data such as views or clicks.

Separately, advertising technology company Criteo has integrated with OpenAI’s advertising pilot in the free and Go versions of the chatbot in the United States, becoming the first ad-tech partner involved in the initiative. The rollout of the integration is expected to begin in the coming weeks.