Since September 2026, OpenAI has allowed businesses in Thailand to advertise on ChatGPT, along with several other Southeast Asian countries. It's a new channel where ads appear while people are asking for answers or comparing products, not while they're scrolling a feed. This article summarises how the ads are displayed, how billing works and which businesses should try them first.
Where do ads appear, and who sees them?
Ads appear as a separate card below ChatGPT's answer, clearly labelled as an ad. The card includes the brand name and logo, a headline, a short description, an image and a button linking to the website. OpenAI says ads don't affect the content of answers and are shown only to users aged 18 and over on the Free and Go plans. Users on the Plus, Pro and Business plans don't see ads.
Target with “context,” not keywords
ChatGPT Ads don't let you buy keywords like Google Ads. Instead, brands write context hints describing which kinds of conversations relate to their product. For example, a furniture store might write “work desks for small condos, people working from home.” The system then looks at the context of the conversation to choose the most relevant ad. Context hints don't guarantee your ad will show every time, and OpenAI confirms it won't share users' chat content with advertisers.
How is it billed?
- 1CPM Pay per 1,000 impressions, suited to building brand awareness
- 2CPC Pay per click, suited to driving people to your website
- 3oCPC The system adjusts bids to get conversions. You need measurement set up first.
The auction considers both the bid and the ad's relevance, so an ad that better matches the question can win even without the highest bid.
Which businesses should start first?
In the early stage, it suits products or services customers usually research and compare before buying, such as accommodation, tours, courses, software, furniture and specialist services. Alcohol, tobacco, gambling, political content and counterfeit goods can't be advertised, while financial, health and legal businesses face stricter review than usual.
Summary
ChatGPT Ads are an opportunity for brands to appear right in front of customers at the moment they're deciding. Competition is still low early on, but the system is also new, so start with a test budget, set up full measurement, then scale once you see real numbers. (Information as of September 2026. Details may change with OpenAI's updates.)